WITCHZ
by Gallaghergirl1
Summary: And then there was six… Caleb and Blunk stumble upon a confused girl in the Meridian swamp. Soon they found out she has powers just like the Guardians of the Veil. Could she be a Guardian too? ...Or something more? -Mystery, Adventure and Romance-
1. Lost

_W.I.T.C.H.Z_

**Summery: **And then there was five… Caleb and Blank stumble upon a confused girl in the Meridian swamp. Soon they found out she has powers just like the Guardians of the Veil. Could she be a Guardian too? ...Or something more?

Chapter one: Lost

Pain. Pain enriched my entire self. My hearing was muffled and appeared as whispers, but the longer that I waited, the outside world became clearer. Below where I layed I felt rubble, hard stones was jabbing me all down my arms, legs and back. My weak eyes flickered open, adjusting to the little light. I tried to move my arm that was resting uncomfortably on the rubble ground. Pain struck up it as it fliched to the left. I winced, but again attemptted to move. Flinch, wince, flinch, wince…Each movement my arm took, the pain loosened more and more, till I could move it easily. I sat upright, looking around the deserted swamp. Irregular shaped trees stuck out from either a large gloopy greeny-brown lake or the rubble ground covered in long dirty green grass. I was resting in a small clearing, underneath a dark leafless tree towering into the dark purple cloud covered sky. Gasping at the supernatural sky, I stumbled backwards to the tree. It's all just a dream. It has to be a dream.

As if on cue, the tall grass beside me russled. I huddled my tiny body under the tree, afraid too see the creature coming out from the grass. Squat warty green legs emerged into my small clearing. My breathe caught in my throat as I looked up from the stubby legs, seeing an aweful beast with a flat blemished face, pointy green ears and stuck up nose. However maybe it was a good thing my breath was caught in my throat, as the stench wafting off the ugly creature was putrid.

I squealed. I squealed as loud as I could, scaring the odd crow-like birds from their resting-place. I squealed, startling the beast before me so that it fell back, rolling into the lake with a splash. And I continued to squeal, pressing myself against the tree as to get away from it.

The grass russled again, this time a boy in a long brown coat bursts into the clearing. This shuts me up. Oh my gosh! He spun around a few times, shouting 'Blunk!' till his eyes caught mine. His long brown hair was spiked out around his pale face and mezmerising eyes. Behind him the foul creature returned to the lake surface, spewing out thick green water.

"Er" the dreamy eyed boy began. "Who are you?" I crawled further away when I notice the ugly creature stomping out of the lake towards me.

"What is..that?" I asked, pointing at the green creature. The boy and the creature exchange looks and then stare back at me.

"I am Blunk," it said, stepping closer. I recoiled and stuffled even further away. The boy pushed Blunk away harshly.

"Blunk, go did up worms or something. Can't you see your scaring her?" he whispered grimly to the creature. Blunk obeyed his command and ran off into the thick grass. The boy kneeled down, drawing closer to me, but held out his hands toward me.

"It's okay" he coaxed. "I'm Caleb, I won't hurt you." Caleb starred thoughtfully into my eyes and I stopped moving. My gosh, is it even possible to look that gorgeous? I was lost in thought when he reached me, taking my hands and helping me from the dirt. His hands had stone-hard calluses around the top of his palms yet they were warm and soft. Once on my feet, the blood throughout my body began to flow properly. I smiled to myself, pleased that I had managed to stand without tripping on my own feet in front of a boy.

"Thanks" I said, finally letting go of Caleb's hands. He said nothing, but peered curiously at me like some toddler that only just learnt how to walk. Walk. Could I walk? I raised one foot from under my long dress and then gently –oh so gently- placed it back down a few centimetres from where it last was. I continued this with the other foot then the other, left then right, right then left. Faster and faster each time. I grinned with glee as I sped around the clearing, acting like a complete fool in front of Caleb who might have started backing off any moment then. Suddenly I lost concentration and my feet got tangled in the hem of my dark magenta dress. I squealed as I tumbled back towards the lake. Luckily my face broke the fall before I fell into the green water. Caleb raced over to me and tried to help me up but I shooed him away.

"I can get up myself" I boasted. I sat up, peering at my reflection in the toxic lake. Locks of pure white dangling in front of my face and sapphire eyes stared inquisitivly back at me. The dark magenta dress was low cut and hugged me tightly around my petite figure. Around my pale neck a silver chain hung with a cresent moon on the end, it bobbed as I moved side to side. It was beautiful, precious and secret.

Then I noticed my right arm. I squinted trying to make out what was drawn on it.

"What's your name?" Caleb inquired, desperatly trying to get answers. I swung my head to him, remembering that he was even there, and stood before him. "Where are you from -"

"-My name is Zatarlia."


	2. The Guardians of the Veil

**Chapter Two: The Guardians of the Veil**

To most people I am sure if they found a strange girl stumbling around in a dark swamp, more interested in her reflection and walking than anything else, they would have just left her where she was. Lost, alone and mysterious. Although three hours later I was soaking my raw skin in a hot bathtub, in the bathroom of Caleb's friend's house. Or cottage.

I hummed nochlantly, sticking out my long legs from beneath the bubbles and wrinkling my toes pleasently. My long hair was tied neatly in a loose bun and my dress was draped over the wooden chair at the other side of the room. A single bed and chest of drawers were placed at the far end and a small dresser sat near the closed window. There was a knock at the door.

"Yes?" I asked, dipping my feet in and out of the water. The wooden door swung open and Mrs Catapage walked in with a fresh jug of steaming hot water. She wandered over to the wooden tub, holding up her long brown dress and apron as she poured the water in.

"Thank you" I smiled as Mrs Catapage set the jug beside the tub and dried her hands in her apron. She patted the side of my rosey cheek, beaming sweetly.

"Don't you have a home somewhere?" she asked, looking at me with pity. " a family to get back to?" I took Mrs Catapage's hand that was resting on my cheek, and held it in mine. Small wrinkles and aging spots stood out from her plump palm and stubby fingers. I looked away from her kind hazel eyes.

"I don't know," I said weakly. A lonesome tear trickled from my eye. I couldn't remember anything. Except my name, but that was only because it was sprawled across my arm. My memory was only filled with the thoughts of waking up, alone in a swamp.

Alone.

I was all alone without any knowledge of my past, present or future. Did I have a family? Friends? Are they worried about me? Or am I no one?

Mrs Catapage sensed my uneasyness and pulled me into a light hug.

"Come on dear, let's get you out of that water before you wrinkle into a prune."

She stood up and pulled out an embroided frilly pink towel from an antique wardrobe. I took the towel from her her and she left me to myself.

Raising from the warm water, bubbles stuck and water dripped from my limbs. I stepped out of the tub and onto the wood lined floor, wrapping the well-worn towel around my shivering body.

Once I had dressed myself back into my dark magenta dress, I sat at the dresser, gazing at my reflection. I let out my soft hair so that it could reach down to my waist, flowing lightly whenever I swayed left or right.

Who am I? Who was I? Why can't I remember who I am?

I dropped my gaze to the gentle necklace lying on the dresser. It's secrets waited inside. This was my only link to the past. I took it from the dresser and graciously attached it around my neck.

Below the floorboards I heard the front door creak open, allowing in a cold shiver. Deciding to investigate, I rose from the stool and wandered out of the small room, into the wooden hallway and to the rickety staircase. Keeping to the shadows I spied five purple figures dressed in long cloaks and Caleb.

"Good. I was wondering when you'd get'ere" Caleb said, slumping back into the wooden chair he sat in.

The middle figure stepped forward and pulled the cloak away from her head. She leaned on one of her legs with her crème hands on her hips. Her short light hair brushed out from her face, which, by the way, looked annoyed and impatient. That's when I knew these cloaked figures meant business.

"Caleb" she scolded, "you better have a good reason for bringing us out here. I could have been home studying for my science exam right now, but nooooo."

The figure the right of her pulled away her hood too. Fiery red hair flared from the roots of her small head with large brown eyes glowing from underneath. She didn't look as intimidating as the other girl.

"What Irma meant was, what's up?" the tomato haired girl said. Caleb leant from his seat to the table and grabbed a steaming bread roll. He slouched back again with his bread roll, dug out a clump of bread from it and threw it up into the air. He opened his mouth to catch it but then the most bizarre thing happened.

A flash of fire blurred through the air and fried the piece of bread in mid air. The torched clump of bread fell to the ground and rolled to a stop. Caleb's mouth closed and he glared at the far end hooded figure who blew away the smoke from her finger. The other four figures didn't twitch when she unveiled her face. Dark blue hair in numerous plaits and tanned skin emerged from underneath, awaiting Caleb to speak.

"Cut to the chase" Irma said kicking the burnt piece of bread to the other side of the room. Caleb placed the bread roll on the table, looking away from the three girls and two yet to be unmasked people.

"We found a girl" he announced, obviously referring to me.

"So?" the blue haired girl inquired. "Walk down the street, I'm sure you'll find a few more."

"So..." continued Caleb, looking up with one eyebrow slightly raised. "We don't exactly find mysterious girls waking up in the middle of the Meridian swamp everyday. I don't know how it is in your world but that's classified as weird here."

"What's her name?" came an excited voice. The fourth hooded figure revealed her indigo hair seperated into two long ponytails. Caleb sat forward.

"Zatarlia. But she doesn't appear to remember anything other than that."

"Where is she now?" the bright red head asked.

"Upstairs." With that they all focused their attention to the staircase, noticing my presence. I stepped from the shadows into the dim light created by a fireplace beside the dining table. Everyone was silent, taking in every detail they could scratch off me.

"Zatarlia" cried Caleb finally, standing up. "I didn't realise you were there." Like obviously. I sauntered down the staircase and over to the strangers.

"How are you?" the indigo haired girl asked. She striped off the cloak, allowing a pair of blue and green wings to fan out. I couldn't help but marvel at them with large eyes as I said "good."

She grinned and outstretched her hand to me cheerfully. "I'm Hay Lin." I looked down at her hand, slightly tilting my head. Was I meant to give her something? Spun around and saw a bowl of soup behind me on the dining table. I picked it up carefully and thrusted it in her hands. Hay Lin laughed.

"No, you're meant to shake it"

I raised my eyebrow but reluctantly shook…the bowl in my hands. Brown clumpy soup spilled over the edge onto the table. This place had odd customs and greetings.

"Oh no!" gasped Hay Lin. "Not the bowl, my hand." I dropped the bowl of soup gently on the table and shook Hay Lin's hand.

"I'm Zatarlia" I greeted. Hay Lin smiled.

"This is Irma" she introduced, pointing to the light brown haired girl with her arms crossed. "Will." The fiery red haired haired grinned pleasantly. "Taranee." The blue plaited girl waved timidly. "And Cornellia." Cornellia flew her purple cloak from her body. Blonde hair swayed out from underneath along with a long purple skirt and blue and green wings. Through the corner of my eye I could see Caleb admiring her secretly.

I smiled sheepishly, feeling small compared to her. "Ah, hi." The other three girls tore away their cloaks as well. All had blue and green socks, blue or mauve skirts and shirts. Each with different styles, but all with identical blue and green wings.

Cornellia stepped forward so that she was only a ruler's distance away from me. She looked down upon me.

"We are the Guardians of the Veil," she said highly. "And who exactly are you?"

* * *

If you have any ideas you may like for me to add into the story, please let me know. I do have a plot and idea of my own but still.

I'm not a huge fan of 'W.I.T.C.H.' so I barely know anything about them. I only know about the things I remember from a few episodes I have watched so sorry if it doesn't fit well.

By the way, does anyone know the name of the school Will, Irma, Taranee, Cornellia and Hay Lin go to?

Gallagher Girl 1


	3. All on my own All Alone

**Chapter three: All on my own. All alone. **

Sweat ran furiously down my forehead as I ran with all my heart through the Meridian swamp. My legs were lead and I felt as if I was treading through water. Thick, clingy slime water trying to pull me back. I skidded through thick sludge and it gushed upwards throughout my dress. Tears streaked down my blotched cheeks and I struggled to hold them in. Behind a me, an ear-piercing cackle tormented me. Chased me. Louder and louder. I could not scream, could not fight, could not stop. The cackling continued, making it feel like my ears were bleeding. It hurt. It hurt a lot. Everything hurt a lot. Its pain weighed down my heart, my breath, my aching legs. But I had to persist. I had to get away. So I continued to run. Running hard, running fast, running away.

Dark leaves and sharp branches brushed against my body as I battled my way through them. They scratched at me. Digging deep into my flesh. Tearing my clothing. Ripping through my skin. Blood oozed out and deep purple and red patches swelled into the material that once was a gown. I ignored the sharp pain each stone, branch and leaf caused me as nothing hurt more than the cackling drawing near.

I trip. I fall. I struggle to stand. The swamp concealed around me. Lashing at me. Drawing more blood. More pain. As if a desperate hunger was haunting them.

I opened my mouth to scream. But my words and my voice were tangled in heaps in my throat. Useless. I wanted to hide. I wanted to escape, but the shrill cackling sped closer. The branches tore harder. And I became weaker.

I huddle in close to myself. Protecting myself while the air around me became thin and empty. Gasping. Needing oxygen, I clawwed my way through the dense trees. Safety, home and help were long gone. I was all on my own. I was all alone.

One final gasp and it was over. The smothering trees, attacking branches and taunting cackling were gone and replaced with somewhat familiar place. I clung to the frilly bed sheets that were wound tightly around my small form and stared starstruck at the speckled wooden roof. Safe. I was safe. Only a mere nightmare.

I laid silently in my bed, not bothering to adjust the sheets that were violently kicked during my uneasy sleep. Heavy rain pelted the gravel road outside and the bedroom windows swung dangerously in the strong wind. Inside the air was frozen. It bit at my bare arms and legs. My body was numb under its ice-cold blanket. Yet I didn't care.

Instead I laid alert, listening to the eerie nights call. Thinking. Waiting. To see if my lost past would catch up with my nightmare filled present.

* * *

Thank you for your reviews and help. Especially a.a .

Sorry this chapter is a bit slow and insanely weird, but I couldn't help myself and HAD to add this in. it just felt part of the story.

Next chapter will –I hope- be more entertaining and move the story. As for now, I hope you enjoyed this chapter anyway.

Gallagher Girl1

**edited to add in authors note:**

**I've received many reviews that this chapter was not understandable or relevant so i decided to cut out the second half of it. sorry for any inconveniences.**


	4. Your Girl

**Chapter Four: Your Girl**

The next morning rain continued to splatter vigerously over the Maridian Kingdom. Caleb and Ms Catapage chatted loudly over breakfast while I just stared down at my half eatten food that I hadn't started yet. On my plate there were three plump uneattenable-looking green spotted eggs and some sort of runny meat.

"Don't you like eggs and scarh?" inquired Ms Catapage when she had finally noticed me. I gazed up from my plate.

"Remind me what scrah is?" I asked disgustedly as I watched Caleb used his hands to scoff his breakfast down. Throughout the entire less than a day I had known Caleb, a sense of childish hatred had grown between us. Well, I didn't hate him, but found his imperious and stubborn ego overrated and enjoyed challenging and rebelling against his athority. Like what a younger sister would do to her older brother.

So instead Ms Catapage chuckled heartly and took our plates.

"Well I'm going to the market this morning; run a few erunds," she annouced dropping the plates in a small tub of water. "Is there anything you wish me to get?"

"Nah," Caleb stood from the dining table and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. He wandered over to the coat rack beside the front door, pulling his long brown coat from it and shrugged it on. "Have to go meet the girls. Dunno when I'll be back."

"Sure darl'" Ms Catapage mummled, not really paying much attention. My gaze fell from Caleb and to my fingers that were each pastered with long nails. I wasn't sure why I was attracted to them so, but somehow I passed a couple of seconds fiddling with them.

"Well?"

I snapped my head to Caleb and away from my captivating interest. He sloutched by the door with a 'duh' look on his face.

"Well what?" I shot.

"Are you coming or what?" he remarked, ducking out the door not allowing me time to do anything but leave.

I sighed, rose from the chair and followed him out the door but stopped and poked my head back in.

"Bye" I cried out.

Ms Catapage called "Have fun sweetheart" with her back to me as she happily washed the dishes. I smiled and suddenly found myself squinting through the rain for Caleb, outside on the street once again. I spotted him a few metres away, ghosting up the street and so I pulled my dress up an inch as not to tred on it and chased him to an ally.

Shadows marked the high dull walls and trash lined the edges. The smell of burnt toast and bad cheese stank the entire ally and down the street. Caleb moved through it without the need to cling to walls.

"Blunk!" Caleb cried. "Blunk?"

A pile of garbage suddenly sprung to life as the creature from yesterday emerged into light. He absent-mindedly scratched his leg and chewwed on what seemed like furry purple spinage but for all I knew it could have been chicken at one stage.

"Here" he gurggled, saluting randomly at Caleb and I.

"Come on, we are going to HeatherField."

Seven minutes or so later, the three of us stood in the centre of grassy patch inside the eerie swamp. My heart fell as the feeling of loneliness and confusion entered me again as this was the place I last remembered but it was instantly overrun by a new surreal feeling bubbling inside once a large circular blue well, _thing _shimmered before us. Caleb sensed my unreal feeling as I gawked at it.

"It's a portal," he said nudging me to go to it. "It'll take us to Heather Field where the Guardians live."

I slowly saunted up to it. The Guardians home world. A place of mystery, adventures and magic probably. I outstreched my hand with one of five fingers falling through.

_Screech!_

I shreiked seeing something large, red smudge about to collide into me. The sound of rolling wheels blurred into action, arms dug around my waist and rapidly wisked me away from distress.

"W-what!" I gasped as I all too suddenly was flying through the cool air from the dark road.

"It's okay, I got you."

A second later I felt myself touch down onto a soft quilt of grass. I was then thrown wildly into the grass along side with my saver. I squeezed my eyes shut and clung to the figure that too was holding me tightly while we rolled and bumped across the grass to a stop.

I causiously openned my eyes that instantly fell upon wide deep azure eyes staring at me. Woah!

"Holy Sh-" the boy peering at me cried. I blinked as strands of his long curly charcoal hair flickered in my eyes but still gazed starstruck at the boy, breathing in his pallid sculptured face with many small freckles spotted over his Greek god nose. Greek god nose? What the hell am I on?

"C-can I get up now?" I stummered, mentally slapping myself for my terribly worded description of his nose and that what I managed to say involved him to remove his to absolutly gorgeous body away from mine –which may I say was numb under his weight but I so did not mind-. The boy automatically sat up –unfortunatly- and allowed the striking light from his world into my head.

"Are you all right?" he asked, throwing his hand towards me. I silently took his hand, squitting and adjusting my eyes to the light. My head felt light and dizzy as my body was flung upwards into the boy again. I held it and groaned. The boy raised his hands to my head too, tilting it up slightly and moving in.

Oh my gosh, you're gonna kiss me?

But the boy stopped short, blinking at me blankly.

"No" he said. Oh good lord, I said that out loud! "I was just seeing if you were okay."

He dropped his hands either side of him in a flash and again I mentally slapped myself. Really hard.

"So, are you okay?" he asked once again, picking up an oddly shaped thin plank of wood with small wheels screwwed in.

I stared in amazment at it and answered "y-yes."

One side of the wood had was bare while the other had red and yellow flames and an ugly face painted on it, yet I was strangly attracted to it.

"You never seen a skateboard before?" the boy smiled, confidence beginning to flow through him as he held the board in two hands to show me. I gazed up at him and shook my head, tracing my fingerover the artwork. I grinned, loving everything I had already seen of this world. Except the thing that almost ran me over.

He set aside the 'skateboard' and shrugged his hands deep into the pockets of a black and white jacket, while beaming down at the board as though proud of it.

I too gazed at it but jerked my head up to the boy's face.

"Thank you for saving me" I said in a mechanical sort of tone. The boy glanced up and stared at me like I had spoken a foreign language, which I highly doubted I was since he too had spoken perfect english as I did. Although I couldn't be sure, I might havefor all I knew of my past.

I was about to mention this when the boy stuck his hand at me and said in the same sort of mechanical starstruck voice I did "I'm Drake." Smiling at my new knowledge of what that meant in this world, I grabbed his hand and shook it firmly.

"Zatarlia."

Drake grin brightened even more and we seperated hands. He shoved his hands into his pockets once again and openned his mouth to speek but was horribly interupted by the call of my name.

Both Drake and I shot our heads to the direction of Caleb. My eyes widend as I looked past Caleb and at the New World properly. Trees were covered in layers of thick amber leaves, as did the dull marked paths, dry green grass and navy blue road that things looking very similar to the red smudge drove on.

"Woah" I whispered, spinning my head around to see everything.

Huge grey houses decorated with millions upon millions of windows towered into the sky that was a brilliant shade of blue. Everything here appeared to move at the speed of light; people passing by, enormous grey birds and a young girl talking into a something thin and shiny.

"Zatarlia," Caleb called again once my vision finally fixed on him running across the street to Drake and I.

He stopped in front of me scowling. "What do you think your doing? Don't go running off like that, just wait-"

"Hey mate," Drake interupted, with his arm keeping Caleb distant from me. "She almost got hit by an outta control car." He glanced at me protectivly –even though he had only known me for a few minutes-, which, by the way, took my breath away.

Caleb grabbed the arm between him and I, shoving it aside and stared down upon Drake. "Look, thanks and all for who knows what you did or didn't do but I can take it from here."

Drake dropped his arm, obeying Caleb's orders. He kicked up his skateboard and held it out in front of him.

"Okay then, I ain't gonna cause any trouble between you and your girl," he mumbled back, a little intimidated. Drake dropped the board, jumped on it and 'skateboarded' away leaving both Caleb and I to gape at his words.

"But. I," I said, watching as he rode off through a small path cutting into the manicured grass. I looked up at Caleb. "But I'm not your girl." Caleb too was staring after him then turned to me silently after I spoke. "Don't get any ideas."

* * *

Sorry I have not been updating regularly but I have been trying to.

At first I really liked this chapter. That it began the relationship Zatarlia has with this world, her rebellious outcast like personality and the brother-sister affect between Caleb and herself –not that they are actually related, well they could be, but that wasn't in anyway meant to sound as if they were-.

But then I realised that Drake might have come in a bit strong and early than I expected and wanted. However, I decided to give it a go and see how it works out.

Please review and share your idea, thoughts and feelings –because that's what reviews are for- so that I know whether or not to continue and in which ways.

Thanks for all those whom have reviewed

Gallagher Girl1


	5. Meeting Yan Lin

**Chapter Five: Meeting Yan Lin**

"Hello?" asked an elderly voice through the crack of a basement door.

"Yan Lin, it's Caleb" Caleb declared then turned to me with my arms folded neatly across my chest as I gazed around the ally. "And a friend."

The door was swung wide open and behind it a very small aged woman greeted us with an enthusiastic smile. "Caleb! Come in, come in!" Her black hair was tied perfectly into a bun with red chopsticks holding it together; below she wore a long green robe, embroided around the edges and held together with some ribbon.

Caleb, Blunk and I entered through the door into a large basement filled with many assorted items of different shapes, sizes and colours. In the centre, a low red table was perched among many cushions. Yan Lin motioned for us to sit, eyeing my skeptically but still treating me with the up most respect as she asked each of us if we would like any tea. I took a seat on a large green cushion, Caleb was seated on a soft red one and Blunk rolled aimlessly on the floor trying to catch a fly above, all while Yan Lin shuffled up a set of stairs to gather our tea.

"I thought we were meant to meet up with the Guardians?" I whispered a little doubtful to Caleb beside me. He stripped off his coat and threw it to a tall coat rack, missing it by a long shot.

"We are" he uttered.

Yan Lin quickly returned with a red tray holding cups of steaming hot tea. She swept it across the table, handing us each a cup then flopping down at the table with us. Neglecting to offer Blunk anything.

"So," began Yan Lin, setting her tea aside. "Whom may you be?" It was obvious that she was directing her question to me, so I glupped down the tea already in my mouth and placed it in front of me.

"My name's Zatarlia," I introduced. "I am, sorta, a friend of Caleb."

"Found her in the Meridian swamp" Caleb chimed in. I glared at him as he said it like I was some animal he brought home from the park. Yan Lin grinned and sipped her tea from the china teacup.

"Where are you from Zatarlia?" she asked, once a silence fell upon us. I stared down at my fingers, ringing them together nervously. You'd think I'd stop sulking-slash-mourning over the fact I had no memories, no idea who I was or what I was. But I wasn't and I wasn't fully ready to stop either because it did actually hurt.

"Well, I don't know" I mumbled, avoiding eye contact so not to show my weakness. Yan Lin arose from the table silently and sauntered to an Asian styled cupboard hiding in the back of the room. I looked up and watched, curious to know what she was doing.

She opened the cupboard and scanning through the sleeves, muttering to herself. An 'ah ha!' rung through the basement a short while later and she brought out a dusty ancient shoebox. It was made of thin recycled cardboard and decorated in painted red flowers, frilly ribbon and crayon swirls. Yan Lin carefully laid it on the table.

"This is where I keep my most treasured possessions," she said, opening the lid.

"You keep your most prized possessions in a shoe box?" I questioned, leaning over to see inside.

"Yes" Yan Lin shot impatiently, but then softened. "Hay Lin made me this box when she was three."

I sat back and silently waited, knowing I should really shut up. Yan Lin pulled out an even smaller box, professionally painted and built. She undid the latch and lifted out three tiny clear containers full of flower petals, coloured dust and thick creamy olive-green liquid.

Caleb and I watched eagerly as she ripped apart the petals and mixed it together with the coloured dust and creamy substance. In the end was a gloopy ugly green cream.

"May I?" Yan Lin asked, pointing to my right hand. Without a word, I outstretched my arm and she took it into her wrinkly hands. "This should hopefully give us some answers," she said letting Caleb and I in on what was going on. Yan Lin then used two fingers to scoop out a glop of cream and smeared it on thick and wet. I squirmed a little in my seat but my hand remained where it was.

She stared down, fixing her eyes onto the palm of my hand.

And what happened after that was nothing. My hand was exactly the same just with utterly disgusting gloop on it.

"W-what?" I stammered crushed with disappointment.

"What?" Yan Lin inquired innocently. "Gosh, teens these days. No patience."

She grabbed the teacup beside her and threw the remaining boiling tea on my hand.

"OW!" I yelled, tugging my hand away from her. "What was that for?" The old woman pulled back my hand harder.

"Wait!" she commanded.

The sludge suddenly started bubbling and oozing over my hand. I recoiled my face. Man it was seriously gross!

Yan Lin ran her fingers through the solution, chanting words I did not understand. The slush then glowed –yes actually glowed- a bright gold then dimmed and harden into a thin dry layer of olive green cream. I raised an eyebrow. "Now what?"

"Answers."

* * *

Sorry this Chapter is short, but there wasn't anything else I could think of to make it longer without ruining the cliffhanger I was trying to write in it.

So, short chapter.

And please review. I haven't received many reviews for my last chapter and I'm still eager for your opinions of Chapter four: Your Girl.

REVIEWS REVIEWS REVIEWS

Yours truly,

Gallagher Girl1


	6. Answers

**Chapter six: Answers**

"Answers." Yan Lin traced a finger over my palm creases and gently closed her eyes. I stared longingly, awaiting the results. Caleb too moved in.

"I see…chocolate chip cookies?" Her wrinkled face twisted in confusion.

"Huh?" Caleb snorted. "Are you a baker or something?"

"Caleb, shut up I'm working here" Yan Lin shot, running her fragile finger along another crease. "Hmm…"

Another crease.

"Ah, I see great power in your past and future."

Another crease.

"Tell me," Yan Lin opened one eye. "About your dreams."

I thought over it for a moment, "I remember…running. Fleeing actually. And trees trying to stop me."

Yan Lin closed her eye and opened both of them. I gasped at their new bright blue colour. All completely blue.

"Continue…" she asked.

"Umm…they scratched at me and, and cackling. Yes, I distinctly remember cackling."

Caleb loudly slurped at his tea.

"Your dreams sound fun" he commented bordly.

"Shut up Caleb," Yan Lin and I said in unison. Immediately Caleb stopped talking and silently sipped from the china.

"I see now, your dream. More like nightmare," Yan Lin claimed, the bright blue dimming away from her eyes. She released my hand, leaving it green and revolting. "Dreams are your gate way to your past."

Upstairs I heard a door slam. All three of us looked to the roof.

"Grandma?"

Yan Lin smiled, "Hay Lin's here, perfect timing."

"Your Hay Lin's grandmother?" I asked, although it was so obvious.

Bags and feet dragged on the floor, more then one female voice spoke from upstairs and "Grandma?" was called again.

"Down here!" Yan Lin called, packing away the shoebox and pouring more tea into extra china cups. Feet clomped down the stairs.

"What are you doing in the basement- oh hi!" Hay Lin cried as she led the other four guardians down stairs.

"Hello" I smiled, trying to free my hand from the gunk. I was sort of amazed not to see the guardians in their purple, blue and green uniform and wings. Instead they wore various shaped and coloured clothing. They looked like average teenagers like I might have seemed myself.

"Caleb!" Cornellia cheered, bustling her way through everyone to the good little boy on the cushion. The others followed and took a seat around the table. As Hay Lin wandered past, she brought me into an airtight hug.

"It's so good to see you," she said with a gigantic grin glowing on her face.

I smiled wider, it was really nice to know someone was glad to see so when I said, "it's good to see you too" I really did mean it.

"What's up?" Irma asked in a much friendlier mood than the hostile one that I first encountered the other night.

"Power finding" Yan Lin said, receiving many queer expressions. She passed everyone a cup of tea and took a seat.

Beside me, Cornellia was resting on Caleb's chest while smirking at me. "What's wrong with your hand?"

I shoved it under the table and turned away from her.

"Taranee, would you mind a simple demonstration of your power?" Yan Lin asked over the chatting as she laid out. There was a hush as Taranee was handed a plain white candle. Focusing her attention, a small controlled flame shot from her finger and lit the candle.

"Wow" I mouthed. She snapped her fingers and the flame flickered away.

"What's this all for?" Will asked, but Yan Lin ignored her and motioned to Irma.

Irma raised an eyebrow but still concentrated on the tea in the china cup. Steadily the tea formed together into an orb and ascended a few inches. She beamed at my perplexed eyes.

"Cornellia?"

Cornellia sat up dramatically like she was doing some noble thing and outstretched her hand to a pot of dirt Yan Lin placed in front of me. From it a green sprout sprung out and grew outwards till the pot of dirt was no longer visible, only green plant. I stuck out my finger to touch it although as soon as I did Cornellia created a large Venus flytrap in my way and it bit my finger.

"Ow" I cried so only I could hear it, but the satisfied look on Cornellia's face said she heard too. I sucked my bleeding finger and knocked away the plant so she couldn't do anything else to me. Well, involving that plant anyway.

"Hay Lin?"

I turned to my friend by my other side, grinning away. She pointed in no place in particular while a small funnel of wind swirled on the spot. It grew as she spun her finger and it whirled around my arms and body, blowing my hair upwards. I laughed as it tickled me.

"Your turn Zatarlia" Yan Lin declared. Everyone leant forward but Cornellia.

"I don't have one" I confessed. Yan Lin shook her head.

"Yes you do. We just have to find it."

I smiled and directed my hand at the plant, candle and tea. Hay Lin patted me on the back.

"Concentrate," she said and I nodded. I stared at the two objects and thrusted my palm to it further.

"Come on, come on…" I muttered to myself.

"You can do it" Hay Lin encouraged. I closed my eyes and concentrated intensely on the items. However after a minute I opened my eyes. Nothing. The three objects stayed still and normal.

Cornellia started laughing as though I thrown pie in my face. "Ha, I knew it. You should have seen your face!" I dropped my hands in my lap and Yan Lin collected the items together.

"Aw it's okay," reassured Irma.

"I don't have any powers" Will said.

"Yeah, but you have the Heart of Candraca. We all rely on you," Cornellia inputted. Irma and Will scowled at her, although she shrugged it off.

"Zatarlia, you okay?" Hay Lin asked and held my hand. Inside I was disappointed, a lot, however I glanced up at them with a weak smile.

"Yeah, it's fine," I said. Irma, Will, Taranee and Hay Lin smiled kindly back, even Caleb was giving me a supporting wink.

Cornellia wrinkled her nose; "no you're so crushed. It's the most obvious thing in the world."

This time everyone just ignored her and Hay Lin squeezed my hand in a friendly manner.

"I need a favour" announced Caleb, joining into the happenings. Eyes were torn from me to him.

"What is it?" Taranee asked. I gazed down from the conversation and picked at the sludge irritating my skin underneath. I would have been out of it for at least five minutes except to Taranee's question Caleb replied; "I need you to look after Zatarlia."

"What?" I cried. "You're making me sound like a dog you can't handle."

Caleb smirked, "something like that."

"Hey-"

"Meridian isn't safe. Anyone can turn on you. Besides we don't know who you are. Maybe there's a reason you have no memory. Maybe something or someone is after you" Caleb reasoned. "Or you might be after something."

"Oh, so now I'm a public menace" I spat, returning back to my sludge picking session I hadn't finished.

"Look, could you just stay here? You're better off with the guardians anyway."

"…Fine" I muttered, avoiding eye contact with him.

Caleb nodded in gratification,"besides you got the girls to hang out with and protect you." My head shot up at this and I rubbed my hands together to get rid of the sludge flakes I had picked.

"I don't need protecting!"

"Stop being so stubborn."

The guardian's and Yan Lin watched as Caleb and I glared at each other childishly for a few minutes till Hay Lin chirped in, "you can bunk in my room with me."

"We could enroll you into the Sheffield Institute" Yan Lin contributed, making even more tea.

"We can go shopping," Hay Lin listed, getting really excited on the idea. "And watch movies all night every night, get high on jellybeans and popcorn…"

"What do you say Zatarlia?" Will grinned, passing on the tea Yan Lin offered.

"It might help you remember" Irma encouraged.

"PLEASE!" Hay Lin begged. I gazed around the table. Yan Lin was scoffing tea down Caleb's mouth, Will and Irma were nodding and smiling, Taranee heated her tea, Cornellia was –for once- silent, crossing her stick arms and scowling at the corner and Hay Lin had cupped her hands together and was repeating the word 'please' in my face.

"I guess I could then…" I shrugged, scratching the irritated red bumped palm from which was happily slime free.

"But if you don't mind me saying, I think we should get you some clothes from this world," Taranee cut in. "Otherwise you'll stand out not like a needle in a hay stack."

"Shopping!" Hay Lin squealled, jumping from her seat and rushing to the stairs. "I'll get my purse."

* * *

Sorry for the wait. I'll try to get back into the routine of continuing this again but things have seemed to be distracting me, like shiney objects.

Till later

Gallagher Girl1


	7. Identity Shopping

**Chapter Seven Identity Shopping**

Rows upon rows of clothing were either neatly or messily placed onto many thin silver hangers that suspended them into the air. Their colours and patterns attracted many on going customers and those with large wallets. I too was drawn by their captivating trance however in a different way to Cornellia whom had shoved an eager young woman for a pair of white leather boots. I was more interested by the way they showed the personality of each person who wore them. For instance, Hay Lin's sense of style used an array of fluorescent colours, without too many dark shades, showing her artistic and creative nature unlike unlike one teenager I noticed strolled in black everything, including eyeliner and boxes, which he didn't mind revealing.

I glazed over a rack of material, not sure what I had in mind to portray to this world and Irma flicked through the same rack, pulling out many different outfits till a thick pile weighed down her arm.

"Zatarlia, take these and go try them on in the change room" she said, flopping the pile into my hands and pointing to small cubicles at the back of the store. Immediately, I stepped between the bodies of other shoppers and found my way to a bright clearing at the back where Taranee and Will were laughing on a large red couch. I wandered through the clearing to the change room in front of them and walked inside, closing the capsicum material veil behind me.

For five minutes I sorted through the clothes and changed into the first set. I stepped outside to show Will, Taranee and Hay Lin whom had joined them.

"Woah!" Taranee exclaimed, practically falling from the couch to the bright pink rug.

Hay Lin cracked up laughing along with Will who yelled, "no way! Who picked that out for you?"

I smiled and glanced do to the sunny orange tights, short blue skirt and dark emerald long-sleeves top spotted with gold sprinkles. "Irma."

Controlling her laughter, Hay Lin rose from the chair and headed into my change room, picking up the different materials and swapping their matches.

"Try this," she said, passing me a short lilac dress that swung loose around the neck, "with these white sandals or these black boots."

So that was how it was for a minimum of three hours. I'd walk out of the change room, show my outfit then one of the girls would hand me something else and send me back in. I tried dresses and tee-shirts, tights and skirts. Black and white, red and blue. Loose and tight, short and long. Most of the choices were duds till I was awestruck by a mannequin the sales lady positioned beside my change room.

"It's perfect!"

I grabbed the combination of the clothing folded on the table it posed on. Inside the change room I slipped into the costume and ducked out to show my new friends.

"What are you wearing?" Cornellia shuddered unexpectedly on the couch while the other guardians had disappeared. The grin on my face wore off and I strode to a mirror situated a few steps from me. Olive Green baggy pants hung on the edge of my hips, a dark blue shirt that hugged my upper body while a thin black tie loosely swayed over top.

"You don't like it?" I asked. Through the reflection of the mirror, Cornellia sat up from the empty chair. She adjusted the back of the shirt I wore and spun me around to fix the tie.

"It's all right I suppose" she spoke calmly without much of an insult. "Although…"

Cornellia disappeared from sight behind another table and returned in a flash with a handful of other items. I caught them as she threw it to me and I dashed into the change room again.

The next time I bounded out Will stood beside Cornellia and they eyed off the red skinny jeans I swapped with the green ones and a white tank top and thin black tie.

"You look really good!" exclaimed Will. Cornellia bit back a smile and slipped between two customers as the others found me. I too was very happy with it.

Hay Lin and I walked to the cash register to purchase it and the other clothes I had also decided.

"Oh!" I cried as the sales-lady announced the price for all the clothes. "I am so sorry, I have no money."

Hay Lin shook her head and handed the sales lady a shiny red card; "don't worry. You can pay me back. It's what friends do."

At the end of the day I was happy. Thrilled actually. Everything was perfect till we walked back to Hay Lin's house.

The six of us each carried a bag containing something we had bought and were cheerfully chatting as we wandered down a long busy street and turned a corner into an ally way. Taranee was the first to say anything about what laid in wait a few metres down the dark path.

"Cedric!" she hissed. I, along with the others, immediately stopped talking and glanced to the middle of the ally where a large green snake like creature I presumed to be Cedric and many armored figures stood, ready to attack us.

"Get them!" Cedric commanded, pointing a huge sickly finger to us. The solders hollered as they charged with long dark swords, axes and chains.

Instead of fleeing as I tried to, Will, Irma, Taranee, Cornellia and Hay Lin stepped forward gripping the ground with their feet and throwing their bags to a wall behind.

"Zatarlia, get back" Irma demanded and she nodded to Will whom pulled a pink orb dangling on shaded string. It glowed brilliantly and instantly caught my attention.

Will held it out before her and cried, "Guardian's unite!"

I backed away and ran to hide behind a stack of cardboard boxes, peeping around the edge. The five guardians rose to the air and bright coloured lights emitting from them blinded me temporarily. Once the lights dimmed away, I found the guardians hovering in their green and blue wings and uniform. Swords and arrows sped through the air at them and towards me. I gasped and slipped to my cardboard shield, just missing a spear zooming for me but unfortunately not fast enough as I glimpsed down and saw that it had slightly grazed my hand.

Scarlet blood blurred to the surface of my skin and I squeezed my hand to my chest, trying to stop the throbbing pain. As I pulled it back, dark purple light flowwed from it.

"What?" I yelled and it grew to surround me while a sudden burst of thunder shuddered over the ally. For a few seconds I could see nothing but purple light nor feel anything.

The ally later came to sight, but in an entirely different angle. I screamed and flapped my arms once I saw the ground and my feet had metres of air between them. I shot my head this way and that, realising in fact I was not falling but actually in flight. "What!"

Spiky dark purple almost black wings much like the Guardian's, however longer and darker violently flapped on my back. A complicated looking mauve dress a lot shorter than my original magenta dress and more exquisite was wound around my chest then floated out the waist in many layers and a pair of small flat slippers stuck to my pale feet.

"Oh lord, what is going on!" I cried. Below I saw the Guardians, my friends, combating against the hundreds of warriors. Cornellia sent a rush of earth under the masked figures making a grab for her, Irma threw a wave of water from a drain over a few others, Taranee pulsed fire at them and Will and Hay Lin worked together to knock over Cedric.

Not knowing what else to do, I sped to my friends as though flying was my sixth sense.

"Zatarlia?" Hay Lin asked, astonished, once I touched down to the grubby ally floor.

She paid too much attention to me and didn't realise Cedric lundging for her.

"Hay Lin look out!"

That was when the magic happened. In what seemed like hours but really only seconds, I flung my arms to the sky and dusky surreal clouds began to swirl together, forming a sudden huge thunderstorm. My stance deepened as white lightening cackled in the centre of the storm and channelled into my arms, which I suddenly directed to Cedric. A blur of lightening shot at Cedric, knocking his huge form tumbling back.

However this I didn't stop. I took a few hasty steps towards a group of armed creatures over powering Taranee and spun on the spot, sending a gust of wind and lightening for them, making sure Taranee was clear from the shot. Thunder boomed and the storm swivelled around the ally, growing stronger and stronger. Cardboard boxes and trash were flung into the air, circling in the space between each wall.

Armored figured charged for me from behind with their spears and arrows although I spun around just in time, dodging their strikes and formed a thick icy fog from their waist below. Suddenly the mist stuck them together then sent them upwards.

Everyone stopped fighting while the thunderstorm gurgled and grunted around the ally and soon Cedric rose from the ground weakly.

"Back to the portal," he uttered to his men. The warriors as well as him slithered from the guardians and I and around the corner. Silently I watched them go

After a minute while the storm gentled away with the creatures, a small hand graciously landed on my shoulder. I whisked my head around to Hay Lin.

"Are you okay?" I asked, panting a little. She nodded slowly.

"Are you?" she asked in turn but I shook my head which felt light and dizzy then suddenly without warning, crashed to the ground.

* * *

I had-slash-have a million different ideas of powers Zatarlia could-slash-can have but this one I really liked. Who wouldn't want to have the power over the weather?

Sorry for incorrect spelling of names. When I looked up the spelling for them before starting the story I was told Meridian was spelt Maridian so yeah. But I will fix it up in the future.

Please don't leave without reviewing.

Gallagher Girl1


	8. Fall for Me

**Chapter Eight: Fall for Me**

_For all those people and Rachel who have ever suffered like they were an outsider looking in upon the one they loved._

A smouldering field of dirt and ash reached towards charcoal mountains sweeping across a crimson horizon. Screams and pain echoed from the other side of them. We were surely losing the war.

But we didn't give up.

We couldn't.

We had to protect our land, our children, ourselves. And if this meant dying for those we loved, that was what we were willing to take.

In the death field, fallen pillars stuck out from the once sacred space. I gathered my magenta dress and clock and ran to the ruins, blocking the terrified calls summoning from the throats of the honourable warriors. My slippers skidded over the contrast of black and white as I ran till I reached the ruins where I skidded to a halt, gazing down upon them. Burnt and broken crystal shimmered a blurry reflection of myself. A tear glazed down my cold cheek and a raindrop fell from the black sky, falling to a pile of black crystal pillars to my left.

I dropped to my hands and knees and heaved the collums away. At first they refused to move but after hitting them with an invisable force, they rolled off a cracked silver platform.

Carefully I strode up the few steps, forcing more columns away till I stood by the centre mosaic on the platform. I didn't dare tread on it nor disturb it except to whisk away crushed crystal and dust. Its majestic colours glistened to a new world, not at all threatened by war. Brilliant blues, purples and greens were positioned on the mosaic to surround a crescent moon of mirrors. Despite it's lifeless self, it seemed to twinkle at my presence.

More silent tears and rain spat on the platform through unforgetable beautiful and chaotic memories.

Ebony shadows struck down through the clouds like a hungry plague. It circled me, its prey, and gathered together behind me, never the less, I remained still on the platform.

"Zatarlia," broke a low feminine voice.

My fists clenched and a storm overhead brew, silhouetting the field. Rage seized me and to I turned to my name.

I gasped and sat up.

Another dream.

Orange patched quilting was spun around my legs and pillow I assumed that had been placed under my head was kicked into the corner at the bottom of the bed. Sighing, I rubbed my sore eyes and glanced around the unfamiliar bedroom. Posters of kittens and cartoon frogs were hung on canary yellow walls. A white cluttered desk overpowered by painted canvas was placed in the far corner, a pink wardrobe with personalised pictures artistically painted on it sat across from me and five assorted coloured bean bags were arranged in the corner opposite the bed head. Above the bed head photographs were blu-taked to the wall.

The first was of the five guardians smiling and posing on a set of swings during a drab wet day. One below was of Caleb and Blunk watching a movie with popcorn and two across was of Cornellia, Will and another girl with straw-coloured hair. Something the picture me smile. Was it the fun in their eyes? I don't know.

The last photograph was of Hay Lin and Yan Lin. They grinned at the camera while flour and dough was plastered to their clothes, hair and all over the kitchen they stood in.

From behind a throat cleared and I twirled around to the bedroom door Hay Lin leant by with an enormous tray of food.

"Hi," I cried, kicking myself around to sit on the bed properly.

"Hey there," she smiled and wandered to the orange bed. I stared at the tray of food she brought with her. Crackers, cake, sliced apple, soft pink liquid and a plate full of sandwiches. My stomach growled dryly and jumped as a child would on a jumping castle. I licked my crusty lips and Hay Lin noticed.

"Hungry?" she asked as she offered me something delicious from the tray and I wasted no time to grab a sandwich and one of two glasses of the pale pink drink. It had been hours since I had eaten, if it was still Monday. Although was it Monday when I met up with the Guardians?

I stuffed the white bread sandwich into my mouth and chewwed happily. That was till the taste of the spread on the sandwich appeared. Salty, strong and intensly rich. I coughed and quickly swallowed it.

"Urgh!" I groaned, "what's in that?"

Hay Lin took a small piece of the sandwich I hadn't gorged and ate it. "Vegemite."

"Vegimite?" I repeated, sticking out my tongue and making a horrid face. Hay Lin laughed and ate the rest of the sandwich.

"Drink the strawberry milk to get rid of the taste," she suggested, taking her glass as well. I glanced down to the creamy pink liquid sloshing around in the blue swirled glass in my hand. Was it too going to taste terrible as the 'Vegimite' did?

Graciously, I raised the glass to my lips and sipped at it quickly. It was sweet, refreshing and cold. My goodness, it was amazing!

I cupped the glass of 'strawberry milk' and sculled it to my pleading stomach. It wasn't normal for me to do that sort of thing, throwing food down my mouth, however nothing could stop me then as it felt as though I hadn't eaten in decades.

"So how long have I been out?" I inquired once we had chomped down everything on the tray to the core. We were lying on Hay Lin's bed with our feet at the bed head as we gazed out the icy window over looking Heatherfield. The tray of scrapes sat on the messy floor beside us.

"'Bout a day," she answered, fluffing the pillow we rested our heads on.

I nodded and a comfortable hush fell upon us again.

"Zatarlia," Hay Lin perked up curiously. "What were you dreaming about?"

I rolled my head to look at her and began to explain it, keeping every detail I could muster.

"Do you think it's a memory?" she questioned but I shrugged, rolling back on my back and fiddling with the silver crescent moon necklace, matching it with the platforms mosaic.

"Maybe."

Four weeks, one hour and twenty-seven minutes later I was sauntering down the crooked concrete path with three bags in hand, all containing a day's worth of groceries. My head was high, my walk in style and confidence at an all time high.

For weeks I had been getting used to Heatherfield, to Earth and it's strange customs. The first week, Hay Lin stayed with me. She taught me the names of foreign items, like cars, television and ball point pens. Also shorts. Never had I come across the usage of short pants. At least from what I could remember.

My dreams or -as Yan Lin insists- memories occurred most nights. Half the time I would forget them, other times I did not. I found myself remembering that I came from a place with blood shed war, my favourite colour was indeed purple –big shock- and I owned a black cat named Tusk whom seemed to follow me absolutely everywhere when not sleeping.

As for my 'power', it was left unused and untouched since the horrid incident at the ally. It was during then that I first began to encounter horrid memories and feelings of my past, of my home. Hatred beyond comprehension. I couldn't go back. To the thoughts and feelings I mean. When trying to save Hay Lin, I lost all control. It was as if something possessed me, used me. I didn't at all mean for all the damage that had been done, it was amazing no one got hurt. No one I cared about at least.

I was scared and so I refused to once more unleash what power I had bottle up inside.

I continued my journey across the straight lined path beside it's navy road, occasionally checking the brown paper bags, filled to the brim with food to reassure myself the the eggs were not broken. Yan Lin put me to good use as a waitress at the Silver Dragon in no time. It didn't take too long for me to pay off my loan from Hay Lin and shop around for some other items and clothing I may have needed during my stay. Caleb occasionally came in to work too –or mock me- about four times a week. We often got into mischief, whether it be throwing soapsuds at each other or not, and sometimes talked civilisely –well, as much as possible in front of customers-. He told me of the happenings in Meridian, how Ms Catapage found work as a cook in a local bar –I noted to myself not to eat there- and what ever else he had been up to.

Yes, things were turning out all right.

Venturing through the park, I found an orange gravel path heading the same way to my adopted home and decided to check it out. The golden sun sent small beams of light through the gasps between amber leaves and chesnut branches arching over the path I took. Small children in hand-made woollen jumpers and printed plastic gum boots kicked in broken leaves and plashed in murky puddles hidden in shadows where the sun could not invade. With the children, parents in long fur coats chatted joyfully, keeping one eye on their child straying from the path. I smiled kindly to them as the children giggled and chased after a good-tempered dog with black spots over a snow painted body. The dog cantered around his tiny coloured shadows as his owner, a large elderly police officer, beamed beneath his rosy cheeks.

I wandered down the winding path, nodding politely to the gracious park occupants whom waved or grinned to me.

Soon the amber tunnel concluded in front of a pleasant café holding a pink cupcake sale for breast cancer. I observed as a woman in a short black dress, red waist coat and emerald scarf tugged a chalkboard sign the to edge of the road. She pulled from her pocket a piece of orange chalk to match the autumn season and wrote today's specials and did not notice me quietly watching her as I ascended up the concrete path.

I passed bookstores, theaters, clothing and liquor stores, keeping an eye out for any thing interesting on my small adventure. The world here looked so peaceful and joyious, as though war and rage were never a part of these peoples vocabulary.

Besides no where in particular, a large block of land was used to create a school. I stopped by the entrance marked 'Sheffield Institude' and gazed upon the schools grounds. Teenagers of all shapes, sizes and colour hollered, gossiped and laughed as they exited from the building doors.

One specific teenager immediately stole my gaze. Long ink hair wandered through the crowd and made a beeline for a group of boys standing not far from everyone else. His heavenly azure eyes brought me heartache, as they not once fell upon the girl falling to pieces by the entrance.

A sudden surge of embaressment made me tighten the white knitted scarf around my neck and over my face. What was I doing there, standing in the middle of the gateway with three bags of groceries all alone? Would he notice me? Make fun of me? Ask me questions I had no answer to? I wasn't apart of his world. I was an outsider looking in.

The crowd of teenagers spread across the grounds and towards me, on their way home from a long day of school. As they passed me, I was shoved from my stance and fell to the cobble floor. My groceries tumbled from their bag and I scrambled around to gather them; more concerned of the bread, eggs and flour than the bruises and skeptical looks I received when retrieving them.

Two sets of feet paused in front of me while their body squatted to the ground. Just as I did, they crawled along the ground and set the food in the paper bags politely before tossing a hand towards me. I glanced up to a boy and girl, both around my age, staring at me. The hand originated from the girl in knee high rainbow socks. Her thick ochroid hair fluffed out to her shoulders where a tatted denim bag hung from one shoulder. Neither her nor the matching blond boy beside her smiled at me, however neither glared nor snarled.

I flattend a red woollen hat fixed to my head and took the young girl's hand. She and the boy then heaved from the ground and handed me my groceries.

"Thanks," I breathed and finally the two blonde teenagers smiled at me shyly then whisked away as though something was after them. I turned to the direction they fled to but was interrupted by a deep voice.

"That's Meg and Mason. Their twins and don't talk much," he informed as I whirled back around. A tall boy with short ginger hair grinned at me with his hands plumaged in the pockets of his ironed crème pants and black woolly jumper rolled half way up his upper arms.

"Oh" I replied as I stood on the path with my groceries that were hasty heating up. The boy took a step forward and outstretched one hand while using the other to keep his bag on his shoulder.

"I'm Rick," he annouced. I fiddled with the bags for a second then quickly shook his hand before they lost balance.

"Zatarlia" I said and Rick smiled attentively.

"It's nice meeting you, Zatarlia," he responded, as though trying my name on for size. " But I have to go."

"Same," I said and he wandered off the opposite direction. I turned away towards home but my name was squealed from inside the school and Hay Lin suddenly burst to my side.

"You came to pick me up?" she grinned delightedly while relieving me from one of the paper bags. When glancing to her, Drake again stole my attention. He laughed and joked around with the group of boys whom were flirting with the girls walking near by. This included Miss Cornellia Hale.

Drake bounded around his friends, quickly to her side and took her porcelain hand. She spun around to his action, obviously shocked. He knelt down holding Cornellia's free hand that was not holding to her books. Behind Drake, his friends hollered and laughed.

Hay Lin ranted on about her day as I shattered into a million and one pieces. Sure I didn't know Drake much. Well at all. I didn't even know his last name but some how he did something to me every time I saw him. Something powerful.

He spoke soft gentle words to Cornellia and she smiled, falling for the Drake charm I collapsed into with what was like no way out. I could feel warm tears well in my eyes as they observed him kiss Cornellia on the hand.

"I will not cry. I will not cry!" I thought and I didn't. Instead I crashed and burned.

Cornellia pulled her hand from the clutches of my wish-a-be prince charming. She muttered, shook her head and walked away. Drake did not frown and fall apart. He rose from the concrete ground, grinning and walking backwards to his group.

"What does 'Caleb' have that I don't?" He called out with a goofy and cunning grin. "You will fall for me Miss Hale!"

* * *

Just spent the entire day being like Zatarlia, watching and wishing for my 'Drake'.

"Your Face" Taylor Swift.

Gallagher Girl1


	9. It's Moments like These

**Chapter Nine: It's moments like these**

My shift was over an hour ago yet at a window table overlooking the city I sat, slumped, daydreaming. Or moping. Most probably moping.

The resturant was practially empty. Only a young couple near the back and a wrinkly old man reading a newspaper remained. I gazed upon the elderly man sitting not too far from me at a table by the feature wall. His bald head was marked with aging spots and the blue and white checked shirt he wore was ironned totally flat making him look thinner than I suposed he really was. I rested my chin in my palms, wondering what current event was so important that he had stayed at the Silver Dragon till ten in the evening, barely touching the lemon and chive tea I had served him two hours ago.

The door to the kitchen swung open as Caleb swiftly brought the young couple what seemed to be soup, chicken drumsticks and bread on the side.

I averted my stare from the withering man across the room once he realised my gaze, to the contents on the table.

A thin white vase with small black printed images held refilled water and a slender olive stem leading to a fair white rose in full bloom. Salt, pepper and a small black ant sat beside it.

Suddenly a fortune cookie tumbled across the table and I turnned to Caleb, standing by the table with a white towel hung over his broad shoulder. He pointed to the biscuit and said, "open it" then took a seat in front of me. My fingers travelled along the red tabletop till they collided with the fortune cookie. I held it before me and cracked it open so a small slip could fall out and land writing side up.

"Success will come to those who wait," I read aloud, shrugging at the end. "What's this meant to mean?"

My eyes met with Caleb's that seemed to be both tired and concerned.

"It's meant to help with what ever is upsetting you," he replied. I glanced down to my hands were ringing together, fiddling with the fortune.

"But what's upsetting me me has nothing to do with success."

However Caleb smiled, took my agail hands and said, "maybe, but." With one hand he slid the fortune from me, keeping the other holding my hands. "You now know your lucky numbers are three, eight and twenty-four."

I rolled my eyes and shook my hands free from his, throwing half the biscuit in my mouth. "What ever you say."

Caleb ate the other half.

"So are you going to tell me what's wrong?" asked Caleb with a sly smile. "Or do I have to wait by your bed for you to tell me in your sleep?"

The biscuit in my hand plummited to the table as my mouth gaped at his words.

"I don't talk in my sleep!" I shot but Caleb leant back in his chair, cunningly grinning.

"Yeah?" he chuckled quietly, breaking another biscuit from his pocket and eating it with his mouth wide open. "Next your gonna say you don't sleep walk and run into walls too."

I picked up the half biscuit I dropped and pegged it at Caleb's face, however it didn't wipe the cheesy grin off his face.

"The real question is how do you know all this?" I asked. "Do you stare at me when I sleep on a regular basis. If so I'll have to ask Yan Lin to tighten up security 'round 'ere."

Caleb snickered, "I am security. Besides, I have my sources."

"Oh? How much they charge?" I smiled, shaking my head in disbelief and looking out the window. "Do they do recordings too? Please tell me I'm not being stalked while I'm in he shower too. Although that would be a very hot video." I turned back to him and winked. Caleb rolled his eyes. The stash of his fortune cookies must have run out as he rose from the chair after chucking a biscuit in his mouth that told him to live life to the fullest.

"Go home and stop sooking 'round 'ere," Caleb ordered. He threw the white apron from his waist to a cleaning trolly and began locking up. I assumed that while talking to him the elderly man and the young couple had left when Caleb collected the tips they left. "You have a big day tomorrow."

"Er- no I don't," I cried, sweeping my chocolate jacket off the back of my chair as I stood up. Caleb threw on his large dirty brown coat and rumaged through its pockets. A second later I'd tugged on my long black boots, grabbed my wallet and was handed a formal white envelope that was already sliced open.

"Here," Caleb muttered when he passed it to me before dashing out. I said nothing in return but locked the front door behind him as I gazed at it.

I didn't bother to see whom it was addressed to and pulled out a folded white letter.

_Thank you for applying your application to the Sheffield Institute. It is with great pleasure to inform you that we are able to offer Miss Zatarlia Jones a place for this year._

Jones, how original.

* * *

I know it's short and boring but I needed to fill in the gap so I could move onto bigger and more interesting ideas I have planned. Besides, it was about time for a Zatarlia-Caleb-brother-sister like moment. I cannot believe I'm already up to Chapter 9. Usually I don't write stories longer than about twenty chapters but in this case I will probably end up near thirty, maybe twenty-five. No promises or I have a lot of things yet to add. Including one other main character, so look out for the next few chapters where he or she appears. Please review saying something.

Gallagher girl1

BTW: what's the principals name???

**Disclaimer: I do not own W.I.T.C.H (Will, Irma, Taranee, Cornellia and Hay Lin), Caleb, Yan Lin, Blunk, Cedric etc**

**However I do own Zatarlia, Drake, Ms Catapage, Rick, Meg and Mason.**


	10. paper Eating Monsters

**Chapter Ten Paper eating Monsters**

There I was, a day later, clutching desperatly to the lilac hem of a low cut, knee length, T-shirt dress Hay Lin forced me into, along with with grey leggings, brown boots and a matching belt. I hated that so much. Why did people have to force me into skirts and dresses instead of a three-sizes-too-big hoodie and jeans?

Beside me, Hay Lin was beamming. "You look fantastic!" she commented. I awkwardly smiled and gazed down to the pavement.

"I can't believe you made me wear this," I hissed through my teeth as I tugged from my brown bag a scarf and jacket to cover myself up. We were standing in the gateway entrance, looking in upon the school as students poured in.

"Zatarlia," Hay Lin sighed while rolling her eyes. "It's your first day, you're supposed to make a good impression. Stop freaking."

"I wouldn't have to if you didn't make this dress so short," I snapped. Hay Lin took my arm that led into my pocket and towwed me inside the school grounds. I tripped and stumbled as I was dragged between tens of hundreds of watching students.

"Hay Lin, people are staring!" However she ignored me and made her way to a trio of girls near the stairs.

"Morning guys!" she squealled and released me. I tumbled off balance a few steps then stood up and adjusted the hem of my dress again.

"Looks like you just woke up on a carrosell," said Irma.

"Ha ha ha," I cried sarcastically. "Thanks."

I pulled the sleves of my chocolate waistcoat, tugged up the zip to my neck to hide my little clevage and tucked the silver necklace underneath.

For five minutes Taranee, Irma, Will and Hay Lin gossiped as I stepped off to the back and leant against the wall of the stairs, just watching the crowd of teenagers moving to the beat of another Thursday.

"Miss Jones to the principals office please," droned a tired and weak voice. "Miss Jones."

I slugged my school bag over my shoulder and slipped from the girls and up a small stone staircase to the double doors, just as the bell rung. Once I picked the door from it's frame, I quickly gazed upon the crowd shuffling closer. There were many whispers, nods and curious eyes to me but I didn't care much and slipped through the door.

A moment later I was wandering through the swarming hallways, searching for the principal's office. Teenagers were filing in haistly and strolled to friends and lockers.

"Woah," I yelled as a large body slammed me into a locker. "Watch it dweeb!"

"Sorry mate-" a deep voice echoed in my ear as I tried shaking the hair fallen from my ponytail into my face. "-Hold up. I know you!"

I squinted through the white strands to meet with Drake's dreamy eyes that seemed to have streaks of green smudged in them and hidden behind cute freckles.

"No way," I gasped. My arms were pinned up as if I was surrending to Drake and my chest and stomach were firmly pressed againsthis, which gave me abnormal tingles. The best part was his 'god-like' nose was a centimetre from mine.

"Wow," he breathed, "you smell phenominal."

Drake commented on my coconut and strawberry shampoo. Drake just commented on my coconut and strawberry shampoo!

"So do you," I replied that followed with a sarcastic 'smooth' from the voice in my head as all I could smell was a fresh putrid smell that was followed by a the words 'stink bomb!' Drake laughed and backed away once a gap in the crowd passed. My knees suddenly gave way and I slid down the lockers to the floor.

"Oh, lemme help," cried Drake as he shot a hand to me. I grabbed my bag and his hand and was flung upwards in a flourish into him. Again.

"Why is it that everytime I see you I'm either on top of or pressed up against you?" he grinned. Immediately my cheeks burned scarlet. I hoped he wasn't complaining I was certainly not.

"Excuse me," an impaitent pole figured girl boasted. "I would appriciate it if you two would stop rubbing up against my locker."

Drake spun around, stepped back and pulled me with him, as so to get out of the girl's way. He then dramatically bowed and offered her the locker.

"All your's Cuteness," he winked, however the slim girl just rolled her eyes and flung open her locker door in his face. "Come on," Drake whispered to me, shrugging the way. Embarressed, shocked and jealous, I led the way down the hall, his hand on my left shoulder guiding the way with his skateboard tucked under his arm.

"So you-" he began but was interferred by the loud speaker with the same muddled tone.

"Miss Jones to the principals office," the annoying voice speaker gagged.

"Ah, that's me," I declared as the crowd plowwed us along the hall. "Do you mind directing me to it?"

Drake grinned, blinding me temporially, "this way ma'am."

The school reception wasn't as colourful as the rest of the building. It was made up of whites and crèmes that all clung together into a couple of small rooms, a kitchen and a large office.

Most of the students walked past the reception however others strolled in to either tend to school matters, talk to their superiors or take a seat in front of the clearly marked 'principals office'.

"And this is the school office," Drake concluded after a rather short tour on our way there that I thoroughly enjoyed.

I smiled brightly, extatic about the past few minutes with him, "thanks."

"No probs," he shrugged and together, we gazed over the reception for a slight moment till our eyes met. Drake didn't say a word as he looked at me. His eyes seemed sort of glazed over as though he knew something I didn't. Something that maybe I really ought to have known but still he kept from me. Not a smile graced his precious lips; Drake was completely expressionless, handing me no clue to what he was thinking as he stared at, possibly through, me. I could feel my cheeks powdered in a soft pink grow deeper. I bit the edge of my lip. Why was he staring at me like that? What did he want me to do? Just gaze at him back, drooling all over him?

I felt exceptionally self-concious that moment, yet I doubted he noticed. Drake just watched me watch him through his goregous medium blue-green, but knowing, eyes. My hands gripped the hem of my dress again. Inside I was screaming out "what do you want from me!" as well as a whisper of "I think it's possible that I'm inlove with you."

It had bearly been fifteen seconds and I was panicing out of my mind. Could he see straight through my 'cover' and see exactly how I felt for him? See what I was? Not that I was sure of that myself. Hay Lin had told me that the eye is the gateway to the soul although looking through Drake's I couldn't get further than the colours.

A second later I just couldn't take it any longer and so I looked up and did another sweep up at the roof and around the reception. Drake's eyes strayed from me four or five quick seconds later and finally I could breathe except I completely regreted my action. It was seriously awkward for me yes, -though obviously Drake didn't have a problem-, but I grinned inwardly and tried to calm the butterflies giddy in my stomach.

"Drake," a woman called from beyond the desk before us. She looked generally surprised however not shocked.

"Morning Pam," greeted Drake using his killer smile that enhanced his freckles.

"I do not recall Brenda asking for you over the PA," said Pam. "Already causing problems in class?"

Drake gasped dramatically. He glanced from me to the floral dressed woman, whom may I add was aging well. "I do not cause problems in class."

Pam rolled her eyes, which were hidden behind dark mascara and reading glasses as she skimmed over the days notices.

"Right," she commented without caring anymore. I smiled.

Drake sighed and swayed his head in my direction, "teachers just don't understand."

"Well you know where the principals office is," a boy walking by muttered.

"Hahaha," sneared Draked to Rick whom was helping himself to a large grey box near by. I watched the plastic box eat sheets of paper Rick laid out on a tray emerging from it then spit it out on the otherside with black ink stamped on it. Curious and cautious I grabbed a pair of sissors on the table in front of me and approached the grey paper eater all while Drake and Rick shot taunting words to each other. More cleanly sharp paper were sucked into a thin vortex and spewed from the other end. A mechanical rectangular face flashed by its side and coloured circles stuck out from around it. I circled the creature holding the sissors as daggers till I wound back to the mouth. It gurggled and grunted as piles upon piles of innocent paper was devoured by the ugly beast. Deciding to stop it, I threw my things to the side and haistly seized the paper it was greedily gourging inside and tugged it back. The beast screamed and groaned, pulling back for it feasts with much force. My feet pressed themselves on the creature's stomach as I yanked the paper from its grinding teeth and collasped to the ground with my paper shredded and coloured in ebony saliva. I grinned from ear to ear at my victory. From the dusty carpet I shot up with the pair of sissors to disassemble the beast that was surly in agony.

In the background Drake and Rick's raging argument over something or other continued. I struck the mouth and teeth with my saliva spluttered spear. Kicking, clawing and completely trashing the horrid creature, no futher noise or movement came from it afterwards.

I stood over the slayed paper eatter bruttelly bashed as Drake called my name although keeping deadily eyes on Rick. I jumped down, gathered my things and graciously left the sissors in their rightful place. Drake stalked over to chairs waiting outside the principals office and I followed. Rick turned back to the murdered beast in a heap on the floor.

"What happened to the photocopier!" he yelled with his hands in his hair. I smiled at a job well done.

* * *

After all this trouble I put into this chapter I really hate it now. It's a terrible chapter but I haven't updated in 3 weeks or so and I thought should hand in something.

Really sorry.

Gallagher Girl1


	11. Light or Dark?

**Chapter Eleven: Light or Dark?**

The door to room three zero nine screeched softly as I gently openned it, trying not to awaken the classroom of students in their awkward slumber. Unfortunate for me, half of them bolted upright and began to whisper and stare as though I wasn't nervous and giddy enough. The brass door handle was cold under my sweaty touch and my fingers squirmed as they felt something sticky squelch beneath them. I didn't dare look but allowed my eyes to settle on the sheet of paper I held in my other hand.

"Mr. Go-od-e-men?" I asked a squat elderly man who had not glanced up from his textbook yet. He remained silent and did not register that I was trying to get his attention by the classroom door. "Mr. …"

"He can't hear you," a beautiful blonde stated in the desk in front of me. She used her yellow pencil to point to a boy with dark skin chatting particularly loudly in the corner of the room. "Gordie wound down Mr. Goodemens hearing aids so you'll have to speak up."

"Oh," I cried, nodding to the girl who smiled kindly. I gazed up to the teacher. "Mr. Goodemen!"

The classroom groaned and rubbed their ears, including the blonde.

"Not that loudly!" she scowled. I bit my lip as my face turned pink just as Mr Goodemen peered down the spectacles on the bridge of his nose.

"He-hello," he stuttered gruffly like he had limited air. "C-c-can I h-help you miss…?"

I stepped through the door archway to approach the frail man and handed him a slip of paper I had received from the principal. He slowly folded the thick book and tugged it from my fingers.

"Ah," he sighed after reading the note. "Take a seat anywhere you like." And with that he picked up the book and continued reading from it. I smiled briefly at him and then swiveled around the room to gaze upon my fellow classmates. Many were judging me, looking at me up and done with either a glare or half-hearted smile. Some were chatting to friends and not taking notice. Others were sleep or staring out the window where a dog was peeing on a tree. Although as I shuffled down an aisle of desks to a spare near the back, I passed one boy trying to pull up the hem of my dress with his pencil to a peek under my dress. I swerved the other way when I realised and ran into a table.

"Beat it dork!" the occupant of the table shot. Many others snickered.

"Sorry," I muttered and scurried off to the spare desk. Once there I breathed a sigh of relief however it did not last long as I was still under someones radar.

To my right a thin boy was spying on me through the corner of his eye as he tried to complete a worksheet most of the class hadn't bothered with. I brushed back a strand of my hair as I too looked at him through the corner of my eye. I was sure most girls would be flattered to have a handsome boy like he to gaze at them except he was not doing it out of curiosity nor pleasure. It seemed more of an awkward glance or that he somehow could not resist, in a non-checking-me-out way. His eyes were glazed over like he was thinking deeply and his pen swiftly sped across the page on the desk. I felt uncomfortable under his observation yet curious to talk to him however during the entire lesson neither of us exchanged a word or proper glimpse to one another.

"Zatarlia!" Hay Lin's shrill voice broke within the centre of the school grounds. I clutched my bag swinging on my shoulder and made my way through the crowd to meet with her beside the basketball court. With her, Irma, Taranee and Will were waving to me to come.

"Hey," I greeted back.

"So how was your first three classes?" Irma asked taking a huge bite from a foot-long sandwich stuffed with assorted foods.

"Alright," I replied as the five of us took a seat on the ground and fumbled through our bag for our lunches. "I've noticed that hardly anyone here actually tries to learn."

Irma swallowed the huge lump of food and said, "that's school for you."

I smiled and stored a couple chips in my stomach. Ever since the first time I tried them a few weeks back I had been hooked on salt and vinigar chips and ate them whenever I could. Probably half of my wages were used to buy packets upon packets of salt and vinigar chips.

"Over here!"Cornellia's voice rang. I turned my head around to peek through the mass of other students and found Cornellia sashaying towards us with another girl practically attached to her hip. The girl's hair was long and braided on either side of her head. She chomped affably on a handful of rice crackers as Cornellia boasted about where Caleb had taken her the night before. The second my eyes caught on the girl something inside lit up and filled me with an odd sense of relief and delight. I just couldn't help myself from beaming when I watched her make her way over.

"Zatarlia," Cornellia smiled once she and the girl with the straw coloured hair took a seat by my side. "This is my best friend Elyon."

"Best friend eh?" I whispered to myself absent-mindly as I shook hands with Elyon with the largest grin on my face.

"You okay?" Taranee asked me. I nodded and released Elyon's hand. Elyon blinked a couple times with a blank expression.

"Have we met before?" she questioned. "You look so familiar."

I thought for a moment, also thinking we might have but then shook it off. The likelihood of me meeting Cornellia's best friend before seemed quite improbable. "I do not believe so. I guess I just have one of those faces."

Elyon smiled.

"Are you sure?" Taranee pressed on. This time I ignored her as I too smiled kindly back at Elyon.

"It's great to meet you though," I said.

"Likewise."

"But Zatarlia…" continued Taranee. This time I swung my head to her, getting a little annoyed now.

"I'm telling you," I spat at the blue haired girl. "I am perfectly fine."

"Then why are you crying?"

At this I was brought back from the unusual feelings I randomly felt and shakily raised two fingers to my eyes. Sure enough a heap of salty water was surrounding the rim of my eyes and some even trickling down my cheek. I stared at the tears I gathered on my fingers, unable to answer Taranee's question.

"Oh!" Hay Lin burst out. "Check out who's checking out our way!"

I didn't turn to glance like the others as I was still trying to make sense to what was happening with my eyes.

"Oh my gosh!" Cornellia gasped, looking away from what they were staring at. Everyone else sighed dramatically.

"He is so cute," Irma cried, twirling her short hair with her fingers.

"Don't stare otherwise he'll know we're talking about him," Cornellia beckoned.

"Well he is!" said Irma. I gazed up from my deep thinking, giving up with the abnormal tears. All the girls but Cornellia were gawking at a boy sitting with a book on a staircase about ten metres in front of us. Instead of actually reading the book though he was gazing intensely in our direction. A boy I was already faintly familiar with for staring.

Hay Lin thumped me in the stomach a couple of times without taking her eyes off the boy.

"Look, look, look!" she ordered. I turned to her with a slight frown, shoving her arm away and patting the tender spot she hit me.

"I already am!" I said to her.

"Isn't he gorgeous," Hay Lin sighed. I raised my eyebrow and looked around the circle of friends all in a daze then back up at him. His short blonde was cut so the fringe only just graced the top of his gleaming green eyes that I caught peering through the corner in my first class in room three zero nine. The book he was reading at one stage was raised so he could peek over top. His figure was a lot thinner than Drake's –whom may I add was laughing and joking with his large group of friends behind me- yet not scrawny either. Basically his appearance was the opposite to Drake's, which kind of put me off a little. Even the way the guy dressed was much different to Drake. He wore an expensive looking orange scarf that went well with his eyes, zip-up chestnut waistcoat and a small almost undetectable gold ring I noticed when the late autumn sun hit it. What Hay Lin said was true. He was gorgeous.

And now looking elsewhere.

Will looked at me with a cheesy grin. "That's Lucus."

"Lucus Newman," Irma intercepted.

"And just like his name states, he's new," Elyon imputed, dusting off the flakes from her ricecrackers. "Came here just a couple days before you."

"And he's got the most amazing voice!" Will cried and everyone sighed along with her. I glanced at Lucus reading on the staircase. The second I looked up, he too gazed up and straight at me. I was so surprised that I forgot to breathe. It was like he wasn't ten metres but only three inches way he looked at me wasn't like the way Drake did that morning at the reception, but similar yet different. He looked directly at me as though he knew me more than I would or could ever know.

"Lucus Newmen," I muttered, trying his name on for size.

Either I said it really loud or Lucus could lipread as he gave me a nod and then went back to reading. My brain went completely slack till Hay Lin thumped me in the stomach again.

"W-" I continued louder and to someone this time, "why don't you go talk to him. He seems…lonely." Which, I shall add, he didn't. Lucus looked totally comfortable on his own.

"What would we say?" Taranee asked then she put on a funny voice. "_Hey there Lucus, my friends and I all think you are hot and are absolutely in love with you._ That's sure to work."

"Well... maybe" I shrugged. I glanced at Lucus again peacefully reading and whisked around to look at Drake shoving one of his friends and laughing with them. Drake's eyes gazed over everyone and caught on mine for a split second then looked back to his friends.

Again I turned to Lucus whom –again- glanced up at me. Did his eyes just twinkle?

* * *

**I finally got Lucus in there. Thought I never would. Well there he is! What do you guys think of him? Better or not so better than Drake? Not that you've known Lucus for that long. But I'd love to know what you think of him anyway.**

**Lucus or Drake?**

**Light or dark?**

**_Gallagher girl1_**

**PS**: Any of you guys Castle fans? What about the Gallagher Girls? Started writing a Gallagher girl/Castle crossover. I have BIG plans for it. However only like 5 people have checked it out and only 1 reviewed. Kinda makes me wonder if it's worth while continuing it. It's there if you want to be BRILLIANT and R&R.


	12. A Field of Silver

**Chapter Twelve A field of silver**

The dinning table chair screamed as I slid it across the kitchen floor but I ignored it and sat down beside Hay Lin. In one hand I held a printed bowl and spoon, in the other a glass of juice and I gritted a cardboard box of cereal with my teeth.

"Good morning," I said however it came out in muffles because I was trying to hold the cereal box. Hay Lin beamed at me with her mouth full of toast and her frizzy bed hair.

"Zatarlia!" scolded Yan Lin. She took the cereal box from my teeth and placed it on the table above my place mat.

"Thanks," I smiled and arranged my breakfast utensils. At that second, Caleb emerged out of the lounge room, rubbing his eyes and yawning. His hair was worse than Hay Lin's and his pants were only staying on his hips because of a loose tread I assumed to be stuck in his underwear, but I so did not want to know about that."Morning gorgeous." I winked just to tease him even more.

"Shut up," Caleb groaned. I kicked a chair under the table and he took a seat on it. He nodded thanks. I smirked. What would he do without me?

Caleb reached over the table and pinched a piece of toast on Hay Lin's plate. However before he could begin eating it, Yan Lin approached the table with a pan of fried eggs and a spatula .

"I saw that," she said, smacking the back of his hand with the spatula. The toast fell from his fingers and onto the table. Before he could pick it up, Hay Lin snatched it away and threw it in her mouth. Caleb glared at her but she smiled, very pleased. I too smiled and I watched while filling my bowl with milk.

"What's on today?" Yan Lin asked, shovelling eggs and bacon on Hay Lin's plate.

"Just school," I replied.

"We are watching a performance first period," cheered Hay Lin, spraying grease from the bacon in her hand across the table.

"Infiltrating Phobos' castle for a rescue mission at four and going to a poker game at six so I doubt I'll be back tonight," Caleb said, grabbing the cereal box before I could.

"Hey, you knew I was after that!" I hissed, looking down at my only milk filled breakfast bowl.

"That's what you get for putting milk in before the cereal," he sneered with a disgustingly cheesy grin as he poured the box dry of corn flakes.

Yan Lin wandered back over to the kitchen table with a stack of bacon and eggs on her plate. She sat beside Hay Lin. "Its never just nothing or just going to the park, is it with you," she muttered to Caleb. Caleb dumped the cereal box in front of me and I wrenched it away. However there was no point. It was empty and I was having plain milk in a bowl for breakfast.

"It would be great if the Guardians could come along and help…" said Caleb as he glanced up at Hay Lin. She gulped the last of the bacon and eggs from her plate.

"Why would we go to a poker game?" Hay Lin questioned. I shook my head, smiling at my fantastic yet sometimes oblivious friend.

"I meant the infiltration-slash rescue mission," Caleb explained. Hay Lin, now washing her plate in the sink, mouthed 'oh' and gave Caleb a thumbs-up. "But you're welcome to the game if you really want. You can passed out snacks." He smiled and I kicked him under the table.

"I didn't forget you," Caleb continued, misreading what that kick meant. He took my hand and began playing with my finger while looking up at me with big eyes. "Maybe you could tag along with your freaky powers." He let go of my hand and wriggled his fingers just to emphasize the word 'freaky'. I rolled my eyes and drank a spoonful of milk, looking the other direction. "You'd be able to really help."

I smiled very slightly. "Thanks but no thanks." I rose from the table to wash up my dishes, biting the edge of my lip as I remembered the painful feelings I felt the last time I used them.

"You can't hide from them forever," Caleb said, a lot more serious than a minute before. I could feel his glare burn through my back as I cleaned the dishes.

"I can try," I shot with venom.

"It's been a month."

I whirled around, gripping the edge of the bench firmly. "It's not going to happen!"

Caleb stood abruptly from the table. His fists pounded the top of it making everything knock against each other.

"Why don't you give it a go!" he yelled. Caleb's face was bright pink and hands were clenched white. I could only imagine that I looked the same. "You won't even tell us what really happened that day!"

There were probably a hundred answers I could have spat at Caleb. Possibly a million ways I could cork that raving mouth. But my stomach tightened and I stormed out of the room. I sprinted up to the bathroom and not a moment too soon as the second I entered I vomited in the sink.

Shaky tears loomed in my eyes yet only one or two passed along my cheek. I stared at myself in the mirror. My hair was tangled in knots hanging from my head, blue eyes clouded with rage and hurt and face sickly pallid. I loathed everything that reflected back at me.

I screamed and gripped the ends of my hair while I slumped to the floor. Lying there for a minute I started hearing voice from down stairs.

"I'm going to check on her," a much calmer Caleb said.

"No!" Yan Lin cried. I pictured her jumping forward and pulling Caleb back by his thin shirt. "The last person she would want to see is you. Give her some time."

"Time?" Caleb groaned. I could tell the aggression in his voice. "It's been a month since we've taken her in and yet there is little progress!"

I rested my head on its side. Caleb was right. In more ways than one. It had been a month and nothing had changed. I was still the same fragile girl they found in the Meridian swamp. No memory. No life. No one. If I was important or if I had a life before this, people would have found me by now. People like family and friends I had in my past. Yet there I was, laying on Hay Lin's bathroom floor, vomit dribbling down the corners of my mouth –charming eh?- while below Caleb and Yan Lin were arguing and quite possibly discussing whether to keep or ditch me.

"Should I go get her?" Hay Lin asked when a silence was cut through the argument. "We really ought to get to school."

"No," Yan Lin sighed. "She can have the day off. I think she needs sometime to breathe. Zatarlia has to stop focusing on this world and start focusing on her own. I'll see if I can get through to her."

The front door closed with a thud. Hay Lin was gone and only Yan Lin and Caleb remained.

"In the meantime you will let her be," Yan Lin demanded. "She is a good kid."

Someone knocked gently on the bathroom door.

"Just a minute," I called. I switched off the shower and ran my prunny fingers through my soaking hair. A crimson towel hung on a hinge and I used it to cover myself up as I opened the door.

"Hello dear," Yan Lin smiled. I stepped aside to allow her in with two mugs of hot chocolate. My stomach growled when it smelt the blissful aroma.

"Oh my," Yan Lin muttered when she peered at the sink I hadn't yet cleaned. She handed me the two mugs and quickly rinsed it.

"Sorry," I said embarrassingly. Yan Lin only smiled, took one of the mugs and patted the edge of the bathtub where she sat. I tightened the towel around me and sat too. "…For everything."

Yan Lin shook her head and said, "it's okay." But I knew better.

"How are you feeling?" she added.

"Better…" I stared at the hot chocolate warming the palms of my hands and lap it rested on.

"Don't worry," Yan Lin tilted my chin so my gaze met hers. "I'm going to help you remember. Ignore Caleb, he's impatient and obnoxious."

I smiled.

The basement was dank and hazy, the same as it was the first time I entered. Outside the rain was clearing but bleak clouds still hovered just above the city. I wondered whether that was because of me.

I knealt by the table in the basement. In front of me Yan Lin set up a range of different objects. Tea cups, books, jewelry, and pieces of cloth, even stones.

I glanced up at Yan Lin adding more random objects and asked the question I had been thinking about the moment we began, "what's all this for?"

"Just a minute," she called from the bookcase, gathering even more items. I sat quietly and daydreamed about what Drake may be doing. English? Math? P.E.? I bet he would have looked great in his P.E. uniform. Lucus probably did.

Lucus?

As in Newman?

What?

I thought this was about Drake?

"Zatarlia?"

"What?" I glanced up to Yan Lin studying me. "I mean, yes?"

Her eyes were in small slits as she squinted at me, as though reading my thoughts. She suddenly sat up with a smile.

"Ready?" Yan Lin inquired.

I shrugged, "as ready as I'll ever be."

Yan Lin folded her legs together on the other side of the table then urged me to do the same. She leant over, took my hands and closed her eyes. I followed.

Silence.

"Is something meant to happen?" I questioned.

"Shh!"

More silence.

"Yan Lin?"

"Quiet!"

Even more silence.

"This is fun."

"Shut up!"

So far we had lost thirteen minutes of what ever we were meant to be doing by sitting in utter silence, holding each others hand over a table containing assorted objects. And it was not fun despite what I said earlier, which was sarcasm anyway. Sar-cas-m.

"Are you relaxed yet?" Yan Lin asked just when I began feeling pins and needles in both my ankles. I openned one eye. Yan Lin was staring at me, so I opened the other as well.

"Yes, have been since twelve minutes ago," I said. I released my hands from the older woman's and rubbed my numb legs. "Couldn't you have just told me to relax instead? Would have been quicker."

"Nah," she said loudly and seized my hands. "Now I want you to close your eyes once again, allow your mind to settle and we shall begin."

I took a deep breath and did just that. The mind settling was hard though. Thoughts of dunner, friends, school, drake and even Lucus kept trying to invade my mind but I did my best to shoo them away.

Yan Lin chanted in a foreign language quietly. I listened carefully to each word she repeated, which was eleven times –yes I was counting- till she stopped for a moment. I waited for her to continue but a handful of dust was flung in my face. How that happened, I didn't know. Yan Lin and I were the only ones in the room and both of our hands were bound to one another.

I coughed deeply at the dust, feeling clumps of it floating in my lungs. Flicking open my eyes, even though I was not asked to, I made a startling discovery.

The entire room was black and white, like the old photograph hanging above the fireplace in the lounge room.

"Woah," I coughed. Yan Lin opened her eyes too. She did not, however, gaze around the basement as I did but looked at the table. The table arranged with random object, some of which were glowing oddly with white light.

"Did you put that there?" Yan Lin frowned. I gazed to where she was glaring and saw my silver crescent-moon chain spread out by the edge of the table. My fingers slid from Yan Lin's grip and to my neck, feeling where the necklace should have been.

"No," I answered truthfully. Yan Lin's frown deepend as she thought,

"Is it glowing?" she inquired, placing her tiny hands into her lap. I nodded. It's white light was much brighter than the rest of the items.

"Touch it," Yan Lin said. "Slowly." I glanced up at her request, meeting her eye yet I obeyed and cautiously grazed a finger over the fine piece of jewelry.

A shadowed garden stretched before my silver feet. Grass grew to my childish chin and red daisies freckled around a silver pavilion that rose in the grass to the black clouded sky.

I was six.

And I was naive.

White curls tumbled the shoulders of a silver frock speckled in sparkles and made with many layers. A matching bonnet was beautifully tied to my young round head. I grinned at the familiar pavilion and ran to it, shoving the thick grass from my path.

Once I safly reached it, strode up the marble steps, following the sweet melody of a violin. It's beautiful icy music scratched through my heart. So much sorrow and pain.

I no longer was smiling but holding back full tears.

In the centre of the pavilion an angelic woman dressed in creme sat on a stool of wood, stroking a small ivory violin. Hair of pure white was twisted into a delicate bun held by glass pins. A feminine pale face with luscious peach lips and bright sapphire eyes carefully watched each stroke till they caught onto my matching wet eyes peeping from behind a pole structuring the pavilion that was tangles in purple vines.

"Zatarlia!" the woman cried, removing the violin and placing on her frigail lap. Her blessed voice turnned stern. "You should not be here."

I did not speak but kept to my spot. The woman glimpsed over her shoulder to the silver field rolling behind her.

"Come here" she said, turning back to me and standing the violin in a case. I darted up the last step and flew across the pavilion and fell in her arms.

Tears trickled down my cheek as the rain began to spit.

"Mother, I am scared" I sobbed and squeezed her to me. Mother caressed the hair that fell from under my bonnet, hugging me as tight as she could without hurting me.

"I know you are sweetheart, I am too," she spoke, soft and gentle, soothing my brittle fears.

The peach perfume I knew so well wafted from her to me. Her tender touch warmed my beating heart and a cradle lullaby rung she sung sounded like heavenly bells.

It was so peaceful. So tranquile. Right till lightening broke, cackles screeched and thunder followed.

Mother rose from her stood quickly, still holding me close and starring out to the silver field again. More of my tears dropped to the pavilion floor and the rain began to flood the field. I was terrified and the cackles grew louder.

I looked to my beautiful mother and her painful eyes.

"Don't go," I begged, clenching her crème rose patterned gown. Mother cupped my red cheeks and kissed them both.

"I must," she whispered. Thunder echoed again, closer this time. "Don't be afraid, my darling." But it was too late for that. Mother then pulled out a silver chain from under her dress that dangled delicately between her fingers.

I knew that chain the moment my large round eyes fell to it, although my six-year-old self didn't.

"What is it?" I questioned. Mother smiled and ducked her head so she could gently take it off.

"A necklace my own mother gave to me," she whispered graciously as she draped it over my head and around my neck. I could not control the grin on my pink lips and held the crescent moon in my tender hands. Again my mother cupped my cheeks and kissed them both.

"Kiaya!" a terrifying woman called near by. The grin disappeared when I saw the look on my mother's beautiful young face.

"I love you, my darling Zatarlia, ta-"

Before I could see or hear the last of my mother, a bright white light beamed, fading the memory. If it was a memory. Which I totally believed it was.

I gasped and flew back from the table and cushion in yan lin's basement.

"Zatarlia!" Yan Lin cried, jumping from her cushion to help me. I gawked at the ceiling in my direct line of vision, my mouth a gape.

Yan Lin stood beside me and helped me from the floor. She seated me on an old red couch, fanning my face. "What did you see?"

I grasped her wrist as to stop her hand flying about in front of my face.

"My mother."

* * *

The first 2 people who review and are fanfiction members will get a sneak peek of what is yet to come. so PLEASE review!

Btw: if anyone is interested, I wrote an NCIS short story the other day and uploaded it so it's there if your interested in a romance tragedy.

Gallagher Girl1


	13. Must Get Out

**Chapter Thirteen: Must Get Out**

"Hey," Cornelia greeted at my locker. I called back a hello back from within my locker as I ransacked through it. My textbook was in there…Somewhere…

"So after school I was thinking we should get together," Cornelia said as she lent against the locker beside me. "Just Elyon, you and me at the pizzeria a couple blocks from here."

I kicked my locker closed and jumped up from the floor, textbook in hand, listening to Cornelia list the details. The lock clicked in place.

"What do you think?" she finished, biting the edge of her lip.

I grinned at her, "Sounds good." Cornelia smiled too, almost out of relief. Which was strange. "But," I added, "what's a pizzeria?"

Cornelia laughed and tucked her arm under my own, pulling me around the corner. It was funny. Here Cornelia and I were linked in each others arms as we sauntered to science although five weeks ago it was only just a 'what if' thought I had when looking at the pictures on Hay Lin's wall.

"Hello ladies," a way too familiar voice spoke at Cornelia's locker. Drake's arm slid lazily around Cornelia's and my own shoulders, pulling us in for something of a hug. Whatever it was it did not dismiss the happiness or pink in my cheeks.

I tried to reply but I was so caught up on the arm-shoulder thing that only mindless air escaped my lips. Cornelia, however, did not have the same problem.

"Drake," she replied rather flatly. At this, Drake dropped his arm hanging on my shoulder. Yet kept the other firmly gripped to Cornelia's.

"Hey Zee," he grinned the way he always did when he was up to mischief.

I had a nickname! Drake gave me a nickname!

I pretended to bite my nails so not to show my goofy smile.

"Don't you reckon Cornelia and I would make the perfect couple?" Drake continued.

...And the smile was gone.

Why did he have to ask that? Of course he had to ask that! I can't believe he just asked that! He couldn't have asked who was taller or had the loveliest eyes? –Which was him all the way-. It was instead THAT.

Cornelia rolled her eyes but there was no denying the charmed smile behind her books.

I didn't want to answer. Not in the slightest, but Drake was gazing at me expectantly. So I pulled my books up, closer to my face shrugged slowly but stiffly and tried to conjure my voice again to say, "I suppose". It came out more of a squeak to my dismay.

Cornelia stared at me with wide eyes, sending the message: "why did you say that? Don't encourage him!"

Drake smirked, pleased with my answer. He turned to Cornelia. "Just imagine 'Caleb' out of the way. We could be married, have nine kids and live happily ever after." He was joking. Really, he was. Well, about the marriage, kids and 'happily ever after', I was sure (I hoped), but I highly doubted he was joking about wanting her. I could've been wrong. He was an out of control flirt.

I laughed. Really loud and kind of hysterically. A few people stared at me oddly but not as much as Cornelia and Drake with their eyebrows raised, blank looks and feet slowly backing off. Why I laughed? To break the tension of the false expression I was trying to pull off. This was not the place I wanted to be. Not the conversation I wanted to be apart of.

I wanted to say something to save me from this embarrassment, but any word that may blurt out from my mouth would only worsen the situation. Instead, I went back to the nail biting.

Cornelia then laughed –but not hysterically-, "Right, like that would happen. I love my Caleb."

My eyes flew to Drake, waiting for that smirk to falter. It didn't, somehow it actually grew wider. "Fine. That's cool, I'll just marry Zee here."

The arm around Cornelia was moved to my shoulders and Drake pressed me firmly to his chest in a 'loving' manner.

Did he just…?

The smile on my face was enormous. There was no way of disguising it behind nail biting, which if I continued would begin a terrible habit. Drake was so warm and his touch sent anomalous chills in the tips of my fingers. Was that normal?

Was Drake announcing our engagement normal?

A metre away, Cornelia was eyeing me skeptically with a knowing smirk. Was I making my emotions too obvious?

I didn't really care at that moment, I was caught up in the moment. And that was all it was.

A moment.

Because I should have known Drake hadn't finished making his point. I wasn't a possibility. I wasn't an idea. I was a tool. And now he was done with me.

"And then," he began, his arm already starting to retract. "When you and 'Caleb' have your little spat and you ditch his sorry butt on the curb, I'll leave Zee and rush to your side."

It was all over my face:

What?

Leave?

EXCUSE ME?

The 'happy' dance and party going on in my head ceased. The daydreams of our wedding and life whirling shattered. The thoughts that Drake could love me the way I did for him collapsed complete with the deflating balloon sound effects.

He was just going to drop me? Like garbage?

I felt the blood drain from my face, fingers, limbs, everywhere. My feet and hands trembled, fighting back the hurt. My heart suddenly was weighed down with stones. Boulders perhaps. I threw my free hand to my stomach that lurched a million miles forward. I coughed, trying to start my breathing again.

Drake, without a second thought, left me breaking into a cold sweat and threw himself at his precious Cornelia, picking her up and spinning her around.

I knew he was kidding. About the marriage, about the leaving, about it all. He was a jokester, he enjoyed toying with people's emotions whether he knew he was doing it or not. He enjoyed tampering with things that should not be.

The leaving thing was absolutely nothing. But it was absolutely everything to me and tore me in two.

I stared at the two friendly teenagers and the grins. They had forgotten me already. No one saw me. I was all alone not too far away watching as I turned grey.

In response to this all, I fled the crime scene of a tortured nobody.

They didn't see me till I was just turning the corner when Cornelia called my name and yelled for Drake to let her go. It mattered not. I refused to glimpse back.

"Hi," Lucus called as I exited the last locker corridor behind several others. He smiled shyly and shuffled his books into his other hand. I stopped mid-stride to quickly glance up at his golden hair barely touching the light eyelashes outlining his green eyes that were fixed onto mine. I smiled briefly and continued my bee-line to anywhere that wasn't there. "W-wait! Hold on!" Lucus shouted behind. It wasn't hard to tell that the yells from others were because he was shovelling through them, however I ignored his attempt to talk to me and continued waltzing away.

Small tears gathered in the corners of my eyes and I choked down the tiny sobs clawing their way up my throat. Numerous students rammed into me when they passed through the other direction, which only made the pain stronger.

"Zatarlia?" someone sounding a lot like Hay Lin exclaimed but I hid my face with my books and dashed between the cracks of the crowd, my stride growing faster as I cried. I was determined to get away.

Soon the halls thinned and I could see a pair of double doors between the sobs. However just as I was pushing my way to them an arm encircled my waist, pulled me around a corner and pinned me against a plain white wall.

Breathing down the side of my neck, Lucus was gazing to where he had targeted me. "Zatarlia isn't it?" he panted, grinning from ear to ear. "This wasn't exactly how I pictured introducing myself properly." That was the moment he glanced at me properly and realised I had both my hand cupping my weeping eyes and was sliding down the wall.

"Hey, whats wrong?" he asked very concerned and crouching in front of me as I hugged my knees and cried into my thigh. I didn't care that Lucus was on his hands and knees trying to look in my hidden eyes. I didn't care that the bell had sounded and that my school things were scattered across the corridor floor. And I certainly didn't care that outside the window, the bright blue sky was unusually consumed by dense grey clouds flooding the city with thick teardrops. I was content sitting there on the corner of a grey hall in the dull light of the window on the other side and drain myself of all the salty water I had inside of me. All while the mysterious and oh-so attractive Lucus tried comforting me for our first real interaction.

"Zatarlia?" he beckoned once he tugged my arms covering my face. I shook hard to get loose from his grip. I just wanted to be alone yet Lucus refused and cupped my cheeks, forcing me to look into those intense and beautiful emerald eyes that were begging for answers. "Tell me what's wrong."

Still I said nothing. His eyes were so angelic and charismatic that I was beginning to forget what happened. Lucus gazed from one eye to the other as I gawked at his own. They were just _so_ green, so unreal.

He dropped a hand from my right cheek, now burning from the absence of his touch, thankfully leaving the other there, and took one of my teary hands.

"Come, I know somewhere we can talk."

He hauled me up as though I were nothing but a feather and drew me in _very_ close. I could only stare into his eyes silently. He was at the very minimum, three inches taller than I was.

"In here" he whispered tenderly. I turned from his radiant eyes and saw we were in an entirely different section of the school, standing by an open door. I hadn't known we had moved.

With Lucus hot on my tail, I wandered into a library. In all the time I had been at Sheffield Institute I had not known the school had a library. Yet here it was, in all its glory.

Lucus walked around so he was beside me and placed a gentle but firm hand on the small of my back, leading me to a sofa set in a corner of the library. He smiled and nodded to a bright red woman behind the counter then sat me on a couch. It was a lovely shade of blue with assorted cushions.

Lucus strolled over to the woman, giving me a minute to settle in and study the building without the distraction of his eyes.

It was empty, to say the least. Not empty in books, oh no. There were aisles upon aisles of shelves stacked to the brim with neatly preserved books. Fiction and non-fiction. It was not empty in books but empty in people. Students. Teachers. Student-teachers.

Only one other student than Lucus and myself were here. She sat on the opposite side, lying on a pink couch with an enormous book.

Most of the library walls were white and layered in hundreds of posters. Some were about health issues, CPR and books. Others to boost ones confidence, yet none that boosted mine.

The place smelt of new and old paper, dusty, murky and ancient. I took a deep whiff of it. It was nice, reassuring and even though my memory was blotchy and most of it was lost, I knew the smell was just like home.

As for the noise, there really wasn't any. Though, near the counter, a faint melody made it to my ears.

_Fumbling through your dresser door forgot what I was looking for_

_Try to guide me in the right direction_

_Making use of all this time_

_Keeping everything inside_

_Close my eyes and listen to you cry_

_I'm lifting you up_

_I'm letting you down_

_I'm dancing till dawn_

_I'm fooling around_

_I'm not giving up_

_I'm making your love_

_This city's made us crazy and we must get out…_

Lucus soon returned bearing tissues and a glass of water. I took the items with a thankful smile. He smiled too. Kind and sweetly. Very unlike Drake's playful smirk.

The thought of Drake brought back the pangs in my stomach and thoughts of what he might be doing with Cornelia right now.

I must have clenched my stomach with my hand or something because Lucus immediately stopped smiling and again looked at me with the deepest concern.

"Are you sick?" he questioned. "Do you need a heat pack? Or an ice pack for that matter?"

I laughed slightly. It was if I just stepped into the movie 'Notting Hill' I watched a couple weekends before and Lucus was William Thacker (Hugh Grant) with his apricots soaked in honey. That –as William had made a point of- only made the apricots taste like honey and was rather stupid since it would have been easier to just buy honey. Yet I shook my head at Lucus' questions.

"Whats going on?" he asked again. "If you don't mind me prying."

Yet again I shook my head and looked anywhere else but his eyes.

"Is it to do with that Drake guy?"

My eyes flew back onto him. How did he know about him? How could he know, we barley knew each other. Lucus must have seen my apprehension. "I-I noticed you looking –staring- at him in math. A lot. And I could see all the hurt and betrayal in your eyes in the corridor. I just put the pieces together."

I shifted my eyes to the glass of water that was cool in my hands. I didn't know I had maths with Lucus. In fact, I knew very little about him.

I glanced back up at him, biting my lip. What I saw took me by surprise.

Hurt.

Pain.

Loss.

The exact emotions I was feeling now however on Lucus' face.

He was gazing at his agitated hands at the time but when he saw me looking, he quickly covered it with a nervous smile. His hands dug deep in his jacket pockets.

"S-so is there anything I can do to help?" Lucus asked, briskly changing the topic.

I shrugged and Lucus smiled, "let me known if there is."

There was a silence between us-at least Lucus was silent. I had been the entire time.

For a while I thought I would have to be the one the break the silence but it was Lucus, of course, who did.

"A-a-are you busy?" He stammered anxiously. I raised an eyebrow and he shook his head, laughing to himself. "I mean. Not _now_. But are you busy-later? After school later? Maybe?"

He stopped laughing nervously and gazed up at me with those eyes, waiting for my reply, just like Drake when he wanted an answer about him and Cornelia being a perfect couple.

Another pang.

How could Lucus be so nervous about asking a girl out? If that was really what he was doing. He was gorgeous, handsome and sweet; any girl would want to go out with him. I knew of five that would love to. Sure he wasn't the most popular guy, he was quiet, mysterious, sort of dorky, but still very attractive.

And I wanted to say no, that I was free and suggest that we go hang out or whatever. However instead I gave him an apologetic look and said for the first time "sorry. I'm going to the pi-za-re-na with Cornelia."

That brought up another problem. What was I going to do with Cornelia? What could I say?

"- Pizzeria."

"Sorry, what?" I inquired, snapping from my thoughts.

"I think you mean Pizzeria," Lucus repeated.

I mentally slapped my brain. "Yeah, that." Lucus nodded and laughed again. It wasn't the answer he was hoping for.

We were about to go into another silence untill my eyes skipped to a clock mounted on the wall of a room behind the counter. I could see it through the window and had to squint to see the time.

"Oh my gosh!" I exclaimed, rushing to my feet and looking around for my things. Lucus jumped up too. "I am so late for class. The fifth period bell is about to go. Argh! Where are my things?"

"Scattered on the floor of a corridor," a small voice in my head said. Uh-oh.

I was about to say my farewell to Lucus and hurry to get them when Lucus stopped me in my tracks.

"Here they are," he said as if he just realised he had them and so he produced them from a seat of the couch behind him. I gaped at them when he handed them to me with a kind smile.

"But how-" there were at least four books there, a pencil case that's zipper was broken so the pens fell out and text book that had been thrown all over the corridor. It would have taken a couple of minutes to collect them all. It SHOULD have taken a couple minutes. Yet somehow Lucus had in the space of a second as he helped me up from the floor and brought me here.

I was going to continue had he not interrupted.

"We should do this again," he smiled. "Um, but without the whole…" he waved his hand at the corridor. "…Drama."

I decided not to persuade the book-corridor thing and just smiled as sweetly as I could, taking the books. "I'd like that."

* * *

Disclaimer to the lyrics used in the chapter. Those belong to Maroon 5's song 'Must get out' and the movie 'Notting Hill'.

What does everyone think?

What does everyone want to happen next? -not that i will necessarily include it into the story.

Drake? Lucus?

-Gallagher Girl1


End file.
